This site is intended for health professionals only

Trust to remain in special measures after ‘serious problems’ persist

Trust to remain in special measures after ‘serious problems’ persist
By Carolyn Wickware
20 June 2017



Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has been forced to remain in special measures after the CQC found 'little evidence of improvement'.

The trust, which was first placed into special measures in December 2015, was reviewed in November and December of last year.

The latest inspection report from those reviews rated the trust as inadequate for being safe, responsive and well led.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has been forced to remain in special measures after the CQC found 'little evidence of improvement'.

The trust, which was first placed into special measures in December 2015, was reviewed in November and December of last year.

The latest inspection report from those reviews rated the trust as inadequate for being safe, responsive and well led.

Inspectors found the trust had been regularly breaching the 12-hour target for patients remaining in the emergency department since May 2016, with many being cared for in hospital corridors.

This meant there was no privacy and little confidentiality for patients being cared for on trolleys with patients sometimes waiting by external doors in cold weather or out of staff view.

It was also found that the number of consultants at the hospital did not meet the Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s workforce recommendations.

Professor Sir Mike Richards, the chief inspector of hospitals, said the trust has shown ‘a noticeable decline in ratings’ rather than improvement.

He said: ‘This is extremely concerning, both in terms of the quality of care that people can expect from the trust, and for what it says about the trust’s ability to improve.’

He added: ‘It is clear that the trust cannot solve these important issues on its own, and will require continued support for the foreseeable future.

‘Others with a responsibility for health services in the area need to help address the problems the trust cannot deal with on its own.’

The trust’s chief executive, Michelle McKay, has said she is disappointed with the CQC’s findings but accepts them.

She said: ‘I am sorry our patients, their families and carers have been let down. We want all our patients to get the best care possible and regret that this isn’t currently always happening, but we’re determined to put things right.’

She added: ‘I am pleased that the reports acknowledge that we are a caring organisation, rating care across our hospitals as ‘good’, and our end of life care as ‘good’. Our staff continue to deliver compassionate care to the thousands of patients who use our services every day.’

Want news like this straight to your inbox?

Related articles