Paulton Hospital is over a century and a half old and former medical staff, managers and key local community residents gathered to celebrate this special birthday.

But the latest CQC report on the much-loved medical site is not something that can be celebrated.

The report concludes that community health inpatient services 'requires improvement' and although inspectors, rated urgent care as 'good', because of additional safety concerns, the overall report on Paulton has been put as needing to improve.

The report, published earlier this month, said staff were caring and services good, but there were concerns . One was that patient records were on show to anyone who came into the wards.

Paulton which has a total of 28 beds offers "step-up" beds (to prevent admission to an acute hospital bed), has a minor injuries unit and an out-patients department. There is a physiotherapy service and an x-ray service is provided from Monday to Friday by another healthcare organisation.

Specific worries identified by inspectors included staffing levels, well documented across all of the NHS, but highlighting the fact that it means medical personnel who are working there feel unhappy. In points at the start of the report the inspection read :

Care plans did not detail inpatients' preferences on how their needs were to be met. Their care plans were not developed on all areas of need or on their discharges.

Action plans did not provide guidance to staff on how assessment needs were to be met or reviewed where assessments had identified further action with monitoring potential deterioration.

Medicine systems on the ward were not fully safe. There were gaps in the recording of medicines administered. Staff did not always record the reasons for not administering medicines.

Whiteboards with patient's details were in full view of patients and visitors to the ward.

Although steps were taken to recruit and retain staff, high levels of agency staff were used on the ward to maintain basic staffing levels. •

Ward staff did not feel valued by the organisation due to the lack of resources and staff shortages.

The x-ray department was not open during the evening or at weekends.

You can read the full CQC report HERE Inspectors visited the hospital in July this year.

Paulton Hospital was first on the current site in 1872, is managed by the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust. The original hospital was founded by Dr Alexander Waugh - who was a local doctor described as being capable of having much charm, and being handsome and flamboyant. and Mrs John George Mogg, whose memorial is in High Littleton, and opened in October that year.

The hospital was extensively upgraded in January 1997 while in 2003, plans to close the hospital, as well as a petition to keep it open, were debated parliament.