EMERGENCY department staff at the Royal Gwent Hospital have been praised for their passion for their jobs and for their commitment to the patients they treat, in an inspection report.

Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) carried out an unannounced visit in March, also finding staff well supported by "effective and engaged" senior management.

"Patients made very positive comments about the care and treatment they had received in the department," states the newly published inspectors' report.

"Despite pressures, we saw a well organised, caring and committed staff team who treated patients with respect and compassion.

"We also found that staff made efforts to maintain patients’ privacy and dignity as far as possible."

Inspectors noted that during their visit, some patients were waiting on trolleys in a corridor holding area.

"This presents challenges for staff in fully maintaining patients’ privacy and dignity," states the report, and inspectors called on Aneurin Bevan University Health Board to carry out a full risk review for that area, and also for the resuscitation area.

Inspectors were told that the latter's four cubicles have at times been used to accommodate up to seven patients, and it did not have the required equipment to be able to safely treat this number of patients at any one time.

"There was also a lack of appropriate space to safely treat patients or to protect patients’ dignity when used in this way," states the report.

The report compliments the department's organisation and "excellent" multi-disciplinary working, accurate and complete patient records, and its approach to service improvement, innovation and learning.

It concludes that improvements are needed in access to information for patients, opportunities for patients to give

feedback, and checks of emergency equipment trolleys and drug stocks in the 'majors' area.

A health board spokesman said the report is positive and reflects recent progress "in a number of areas."

"We have drawn up an action plan in response to the few areas of concern highlighted, and we are already working to address these as we strive for excellence in the services we deliver.

“We always welcome HIW reports as they provide us with an independent assessment that we can learn from, and act upon, to make further improvements to the care and services we provide to our patients.”