08.11.18
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS trust put into special measures
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has been put into special measures by NHS Improvement.
The hospital, which has received three enforcement action notices from the CQC, with the health inspectorate last month demanding the trust submit weekly reports as part of its action plan, is currently being investigated over the deaths of babies and repeated safety failings at the trust.
Health secretary Matt Hancock has written to local MPs to notify them of the trust being placed into special measures, arguing it is the “right decision” to ensure the safety of patients.
Hancock wrote: "In light of ongoing concerns about the trust's quality and performance and recent concerns raised by the CQC, I believe that this is the right decision to take to ensure safe services for patients."
It was announced in August that the independent reviews into the infant deaths commissioned by then-health secretary Jeremy Hunt in 2017 were to be extended, after further concerns were raised to what is believed to be over 100 cases.
Yesterday, MP for Telford Lucy Allan called for the trust to be placed into special measures:
Ian Dalton, chief executive of NHS Improvement, said: “While Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has been working through its many challenges, it is important that the trust is able to deliver the high-quality care that patients deserve. The time is right to ramp up our help by placing the trust in special measures.
"We know that the trust welcomes this decision and shares our commitment to turn around its performance and quality concerns for the benefit of patients and the wider community.”
Professor Ted Baker, chief inspector of hospitals at the CQC, said: “Our inspection report on Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Hospital NHS Trust is currently with the trust for factual accuracy checks and we will be publishing it as soon as this process has been completed.
“Today I wrote to the chief executive of NHS Improvement to say that I anticipated that I would be making a formal recommendation of special measures upon publication of the report.
“I believe there is sufficient evidence that the trust will not be able to make all the necessary improvements in the quality of their services without external support and I asked NHS Improvement to put in place all necessary support without delay.”
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