Hospital chiefs welcome special measures for Shropshire hospitals

The NHS will now provide "extra support" for the under-fire Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust (SaTH) after a letter to the body on Wednesday.

Earlier in the week it emerged SaTH had received a third warning from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) over the safety of its services after an August inspection.

Experts and politicians said the special measures move will be positive for the hospital trust in getting back on track.

Support

Julian Povey, chair of Shropshire's Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "It needs to be viewed as a positive thing.

"It will mean extra support coming into the hospital trust to help them. It is probably not a surprise. It has come after a period of time in which they have had three letters from the CQC.

"We have seen a lot of staff working very hard and doing the best they can in the conditions."

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.”

Telford & Wrekin Councillor Nicola Lowery welcomed the news.

The councillor for the Ironbridge Gorge said: “I am reassured that NHS Improvement has decided to place the trust into special measures as this will ensure that the trust receives the support it needs to address the ongoing concerns about the trust’s quality of care raised by the Care Quality Commission and this is the right decision to take to ensure safe services for patients.

“Being placed in special measures means the trust will receive increased support, funding and enhanced oversight from NHS Improvement in order to turn around the quality of its care.

"NHS Improvement are already working closely with the trust and this decision to put the trust into special measures is the right step forward to ensure our hospital trust receives the support it needs to deliver the best possible care and safe services for our communities.”

Health campaigner Gill George said the move "proves the government can intervene" but that the "obscene" Future Fit plans to reorganise hospital care in Shropshire must still be shelved.