Inspectors raise concerns over safety at Bath's RUH urgent care unit
The department has been re-rated as "requires improvement" by the CQC
Urgent safety concerns have been highlighted at Royal United Hospital Bath (RUH) after a recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The hospital faced scrutiny due to reports of overcrowding and safety issues in its urgent and emergency care department.
The CQC found breaches related to patient care, staff levels, and service management, prompting calls for improvement.
“When we inspected urgent and emergency care at Royal United Hospital Bath, we found a department under enormous and unsustainable pressure," said Catherine Campbell, CQC deputy director of hospitals in the South-West.
"But staff were still working as hard as they could under the circumstances, to try and provide safe care and treatment to people.
“The most pressing concerns were around safety.
"The department didn’t have enough senior doctors overnight, falling below national guidelines, and nursing vacancy and sickness rates were high.
“People with mental health needs were also particularly affected.
"Some waited an average of seven hours for a bed in a loud and busy environment which they found difficult to cope with. This is longer than anyone should have to wait in those circumstances."
The urgent and emergency care department at the RUH has been re-rated as "requires improvement" following the inspection.
Despite issues, staff were commended for providing compassionate care, especially for patients with autism, dementia, and learning disabilities.
In response to the report, Royal United Hospitals Bath assured cooperation with the CQC and outlined plans to address the highlighted concerns.
A spokesperson for the RUH said:
"We acknowledge the CQC’s recent report into urgent and emergency care at the Royal United Hospitals Bath following its unannounced inspection in October 2025.
"We cooperated fully with the CQC both during and since the inspection to demonstrate that we are making progress against our improvement plan.
"We now have more senior decision makers in the Emergency Department overnight and 24/7 security presence.
Efforts include more senior doctors overnight, enhanced security, and improvements in mental health care provision.
"At the time of the visit and since then, we have been experiencing the highest ever demand levels in our Emergency Department.
"In addition, the implementation of the ambulance service’s new Rapid Release Protocol coincided with a year-on-year ambulance demand increase of 25 per cent and Emergency Department footfall of 13%.
"We have been working hard to respond to these new working practices alongside South West Ambulance Service Foundation Trust to make sure that it does not result in overcrowding in the Department and we are committed to putting the right measures in place to avoid corridor care in the hospital during the course of next Winter."
Hospital staff are praised for their efforts, and thanks were extended to partners for their collaboration in making necessary changes.