NHS trusts in special measures: improvements for patients seen in most
Monitor, the Care Quality Commission and the NHS Trust Development Authority have today published a report on the progress made by the 11 trusts put in special measures in July 2013.
Special measures: 1 year on highlights the work by Monitor and the NHS TDA to support the 11 trusts in special measures. This has included providing partnerships with trusts that are performing well and appointing an Improvement Director to ensure trusts stick to their action plans.
Practical measures that have led to significant changes at some of the trusts include: recruiting extra staff, using better systems to manage the way patients are moved throughout their stay from admission to discharge (known as ‘patient flow’), better managing patients with life threatening conditions and placing renewed emphasis on the quality of care provided.
Two trusts, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust, have already reached a rating of ‘good’ overall, and have been taken out of special measures.
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust were rated as ’requires improvement‘ and have been taken out of special measures but with additional support.
While there has been progress made at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Professor Richards has recommended they remain in special measures for a further 6 months.
Despite improvements in maternity, Medway has failed to make significant overall progress and will remain in special measures after being given an overall rating of ’inadequate’. CQC will work with Monitor to consider what further urgent action should be taken to ensure the quality of care improves as quickly as possible.
David Bennett, Chief Executive of Monitor, said:
Patients will already be seeing improvements at their local hospitals. But there is still more work to be done. Where trusts have yet to come out of special measures, we will make sure they deliver the improvements patients expect.