Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust placed in special measures
The new national Recovery Support Programme (RSP), provided to all trusts and systems in segment 4 of the NHS System Oversight Framework (SOF 2021/22) was launched on 13 July 2021. The RSP replaces the former quality and finance special measures programmes and further information can be found on the RSP webpage.
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust will get enhanced support to improve its services for patients as we have placed the trust into special measures for quality reasons.
The decision comes as the trust continues to address several challenges where patient care could be at risk. These challenges include governance, workforce, urgent and maternity care and whistleblowing issues.
Our decision to place Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust in special measures will mean that the trust will receive enhanced support, including additional funding, additional capacity to support the planned improvement programme, external buddying arrangements and strengthened oversight arrangements.
This is on top of improvement support we have been providing so far, including the appointment of an improvement director, support on a long-term workforce strategy to address the trust’s vacancies, quality visits, a board development session on ‘Freedom to Speak Up’, and the introduction of a safety oversight and assurance group.
We can place trusts into special measures for quality in response to a recommendation from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following its inspections and subsequent reports, as well as based on its own evidence. While that formal recommendation is awaited, we have made our decision based on the information we have gathered and having taken advice from CQC.
The CQC carried out inspections of the trust’s services in August and September 2018. The CQC’s reports are expected imminently but in response to its findings, the CQC has already taken enforcement action to ensure patients get safe, high quality and compassionate care.
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.
Ian Dalton, Chief Executive of NHS Improvement