September 17, 2018 5.02 pm This story is over 66 months old

Special measures ‘right’ for Northern Lincolnshire trust

Candid responses from health bosses
Scunthorpe General Hospital. Picture: Colin Babb.

The chief executive in charge of Grimsby and Scunthorpe hospitals said it was right to keep the health trust in special measures.

Dr Peter Reading said it is “helpful at this time” for Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust to receive extra support as a result of the decision.

The trust remained in special measures following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission which gave NLaG a rating of ‘requires improvement’.

The CQC report highlight concerns over staffing levels, waiting lists and training.

NLaG gave a presentation to members of the Health Scrutiny Panel for North Lincolnshire on their performance.

Breakdown of ratings for Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust.

Dr Reading said that the report was a “milestone” for the trust and that improvements had been made.

“The rating of requires improvement is not great, but it is a substantial step up,” he said.

“It is the first milestone on a journey that will take three or four years to complete.”

He added that it was the ambition of the trust to achieve a “good” rating within 18 months to two years.

The CQC report said staffing levels, waiting list targets and end of life critical care were areas for concern.

Inspectors felt the need to write two letters to the trust regarding insufficient management, oversight and governance to the rest of outpatients and also issued a number of notices to meet set requirements.

The trust fell back into special measures following an inspection back in April 2017.

Professor Ted Baker, England’s chief inspector of hospitals, said: “Since the last inspection of the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, there has been some changes at executive level and, I am pleased to report, some notable improvement.

“However, there is scope for further improvement.

“There remain significant concerns around the quality of care in some areas of the trust. However our main concern was around the pace of improvement in areas highlighted in previous CQC inspections.

“For this reason, the trust will remain in special measures to ensure the appropriate level of support is given to the trust to ensure sustainable improvement for the population it serves.”

Councillor Holly Mumby-Croft, North Lincolnshire councillor and chair of the health scrutiny panel.

Chair of the health scrutiny panel, Holly Mumby-Croft, said that the panel still remained concerned on some of the issues raised by the report.

“It was refreshing to have candid responses and an absence of a defensive feeling,” she said.

“But we do remain concerned on the well-led issue.”

Councillor Richard Hannigan, cabinet member for health and community wellbeing, added that he appreciated the honest answers from the chief executive and the trust.

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