The Richmond Council Quality Accounts Sub-Committee met on 20 March 2025 to review the Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust (KRFT) Draft Quality Account for 2024/25.

This meeting served as a platform to assess the Trust's progress over the past year and provide feedback to shape the final report.

The Quality Account is a key document outlining improvements in patient care, focusing on three core areas: patient safety, clinical effectiveness, and patient experience.

KRFT has reported an improvement in staffing stability, with a reduced staff turnover rate of 12.32%, down from 13.68% the previous year.

Similarly, the Trust's vacancy rate has fallen to 6.15%, a notable achievement for an acute NHS Trust says KRFT.

Regarding staff vaccinations, KRFT has maintained a strong position in London, ranking third for flu vaccinations among direct patient-facing staff at 44.3%, albeit a decline from 53.1% the previous year.

COVID-19 vaccination rates followed a similar trend, with 30.7% uptake among patient-facing staff compared to 44.3% last year.

The decline is attributed to the vaccine being optional this year; however, KRFT remains the second highest Trust in London for staff vaccinations.

Looking ahead, the Trust has outlined three key priority areas for the next financial year:

• Prevent avoidable harm – Enhancing patient safety measures and response systems.
• Embed continuous improvement – Strengthening governance and performance monitoring.
• Tackle waste – Streamlining operations and optimising resource allocation

Chief Executive, Jo Farrar and Chief Nurse, Nic Kane, in the report said: "Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust is an exciting place to work.

"As an organisation we are committed to providing the best patient experience in the safest environment with committed caring staff.

"We welcome feedback and are constantly looking at how we can improve and respond more effectively to the challenges of our population and the nation.

"The staff at Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust have worked together tirelessly to take us into a positive position beyond the pandemic and continue to strive to improve the care we provide for the patients using our services.

"While we work hard to make changes in a fast moving and dynamic landscape of healthcare, we are acutely aware that our staff are our biggest asset, and we look forward to building further on the good practice that is already underway." 

The Sub-Committee welcomed the Draft Quality Account's brief format and the co-production approach used in its development.

Progress from the previous year was evident, and the inclusion of carers in the process was particularly praised.

However, members noted that services provided by South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust (SWLSTG) to Richmond residents were not fully detailed in the report.

They expressed hope that the final version would include greater insight into these services.

The final version of the quality account is yet to be decided.

To read the draft in full click here.