Chaos at Queen Alexandra Hospital: Emergency Dept Slammed by Inspectors
Health watchdogs have blasted Queen Alexandra Hospital’s emergency department in Portsmouth as “chaotic” and unsafe. Patients with serious conditions faced hours-long waits, while ambulances queued up outside. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) slapped the hospital with an “inadequate” rating overall.
Chief Exec Admits Failings, Promises Emergency Fix
Interim Chief Executive Tim Powell didn’t dodge the blame. He said: “We recognise the picture painted by the CQC in this report and we are very sorry that we have failed to provide to our patients, on a consistent basis, the high standards of care that we expect of ourselves.”
He apologised to patients and local health partners, including the ambulance service, and vowed urgent improvements.
Emergency Overhaul Underway
- No more “jumbulance” misuse – the multi-occupancy ambulance has been retired immediately.
- Senior leader Dr Rob Haigh appointed as Executive Director for the Emergency Care pathway.
- New escalation system launched alongside daily monitoring for the CQC.
Powell revealed initial changes include directing non-critical patients away from the emergency department to other services, and ramping up GP referrals to ambulatory and outpatient clinics. He added: “Our first priority is patient safety.”
Looking Ahead: A Better Service by Next Winter
The trust is pushing for consultant-led care, daily senior doctor reviews, and stronger collaboration with social care teams to speed up treatment and discharge processes.
Powell said: “It will take time but we are determined that by next winter, when demand peaks, the emergency department will be much improved.”
He concluded optimistically: “Together with our staff and health partners, we will make the improvements needed to put patients first and deliver the best care possible.”
