South Devon given clean bill of health on dignity by regulator

The regulator checked two “essential standards” of care at the trust. Inspectors visited two wards.

They observed how people were being cared for, talked with 13 patients, talked with 10 staff, and checked records.

The standards assessed were:

• People should be treated with respect, involved in discussions about their care and treatment and able to influence how the service is run
• Food and drink should meet people’s individual dietary needs

It concluded that overall the trust was meeting both essential standards.

In its report, the regulator said: “Without exception people told us they thought their needs were being met. They talked warmly about the staff giving their care and of the good standards on the wards.”

It added: “The feedback about the taste of the food was good; everyone we asked said they always had enough to eat, it was always hot and there was always plenty of choice.”

The regulator visited 100 hospitals as part of its programme of inspections on older patients’ treatment and is currently publishing them in batches, of which this is the fourth.