Mid Worcestershire MP Nigel Huddleston met with Harry Turner, Chairman of the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, to discuss the announcement that the Care Quality Commission has recommended that the Trust be placed in special measures.
An inspection team spent six days at the Trust in July and have rated it ‘Inadequate’ overall, and recommended urgent improvements. The maternity and gynaecology services were rated ‘Outstanding’ for being caring. The trust was rated as ‘Inadequate’ in the areas of safety and leadership, rated ‘Requires Improvement’ for being effective and responsive and rated ‘Good’ for being caring.
Inspectors had concerns about the Trust’s staffing in a number of areas, resulting in an over reliance on temporary staff.
In April of this year the NHS Trust Development Authority appointed Marie-Noelle Orzel as Improvement Director of the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. Ms Orzel will work with the Trust on delivering improvements to services and embedding changes.
Nigel was able to discuss all of these issues with Mr Turner and gain an insight into how the trust would be making the improvements necessary.
Nigel commented, “It is disappointing that the trust has had to go into special measure. The safety aspects raised in the CQC report and over-reliance on temporary and agency staff particularly concern me. But having talked to Mr Turner I am confident that a clear and achievable plan is being put in place to take the situation forward. In fact, since the CQC visit was conducted in July, progress has already been made in many areas.
As most people who have used the Trust’s services will have found themselves, the CQC said that the majority of staff were hard working, passionate and caring. Thousands of dedicated NHS personnel are working hard to deliver a quality health service in Worcestershire.
Significant improvements need to be made to processes and structures and gaps in leadership need to be filled as a matter of urgency – including a new Chief Executive. I understand progress is being made with a new appointment.
I was pleased to see in the report that Evesham community hospital was rated ‘Good’ in every area.
I shall be working with fellow Worcestershire MPs to lobby the Department of Health for additional investment for A&E services. The unit will be expanded this winter in the light of a 20% increase in visits, but this is only a temporary measure and a more permanent expansion is needed.
I will be visiting Worcestershire Royal Hospital again before Christmas to talk to staff and patients directly. We must continue to get behind the Trust and support them in making the improvements that are necessary for our local health services.”