MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands, UK inspection commendations for the quality service care at KEMH

The UK Health and Security Agency also made fourteen recommendations to aid future improvements at KEMH

Falkland Islands main medical facility, King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) wishes to provide a further update on the previously advertised hospital inspection with a team co-ordinated by the UK Health Security Agency.

The inspection occurred between Tuesday 12th November and Monday 18th November 2024 with an overall positive result of the quality care provided at KEMH.

As previously announced the focus areas for this inspection were the Ambulance Service, Casualty, Ward, Intensive Care, Theatre, and the Medical Treatment Overseas (MTO) process. However, due to good progress being made by the inspectors the inspection was able to take in some additional areas such as the laboratory and electro-biomedical engineering.

The inspectors’ report is now available publicly at the following link: www.falklands.gov.fk/health/downloads

The KEMH are pleased to note the various commendations of the service that have been made, which includes recognising the accessibility, range, integration and quality of clinical care provided. In the areas reviewed the inspectors found ‘evidence of high quality and effective care, no evidence to warrant serious safety concerns’. The respectful and strong collegial culture amongst hospital staff was also remarked on. In relation to medical equipment maintenance and the laboratory the inspectors were impressed by areas of ‘best practice’, which they suggested could be adopted in other overseas territories.

The inspectors have also made a number of recommendations to aid future improvement at the KEMH. These are presented as 14 overarching recommendations that range from reviewing the approach to quality oversight and governance to commissioning future inspections. The KEMH will study these recommendations in the coming weeks and translate them into an action plan that will be reported to and monitored by the Health and Medical Services Committee going forward.

In relation to future inspections the KEMH can now update that a planned inspection of maternity services is scheduled to occur in October of this year. This inspection will include opportunities for service user engagement, and further information will be made available closer to the time.

MLA John Birmingham, portfolio holder for Health and Social Services, commented: “It is pleasing to see the areas of outstanding practice found at KEMH that are highlighted in the inspection team’s report and I hope that the report’s findings give reassurance to the community about the quality of care provided and the openness to independent scrutiny at the KEMH. As is expected with reports such as these, areas for improvement and development were identified, and now the KEMH has the opportunity to address them. I would like to thank the inspection team for their work as well as the staff and patients who contributed to the inspection process”.