Where now for troubled trust?

But what, in practice, does special measures mean?

In simple terms, trusts are placed into special measures when inspectors deem them to be 'inadequate', and have concerns their leaders will be unable to make sufficient progress in a reasonable time period.

The decision to put a trust into special measures is made by the organisation NHS Improvement, which was created in 2016 to bring together five different organisations responsible for monitoring and maintaining standards in the NHS.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital is one of 15 trusts now in special measures due to failings in the quality of service.

The trust will be asked to produce an improvement plan, which will be published on its own website, with a link to it from NHS Improvement's own website.

While the package of measures will vary depending on the circumstances of the trust, NHS will usually appoint a 'partner' organisation which will provide support and guidance in addressing its problems. This may be a hospital that is high-performing in the areas in need of improvement, which will help the trust make the necessary changes.

NHS Improvement will also examine the management of the trust. An improvement director will oversee the delivery of the plan, but if it sees fit it can also make changes to the management team, removing the existing leadership and putting a new team in its place.

NHS Improvement may also look at longer term solutions, such as using other organisations to deliver certain services, or recommending trusts are merged or taken over by others.

It is normally expected that the hospital will be given 12 months to deliver the required improvements, with a fresh inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) taking place at the end of that time period. If the CQC is satisfied with the progress made, then the Chief Inspector of Hospitals can recommend the hospital is taken out of special measures.

"Where the quality of care is showing sufficient signs of improvement, CQC will recommend that it sees no reason on grounds of quality why a trust should remain in special measures," says NHS Improvement's guidance for trusts in special measures.

This does not necessarily mean all its troubles are over though.

"The chief inspector will usually recommend there is no reason why a trust should remain in special measures if the quality of care is showing sufficient signs of improvement, even if it is not yet 'good'," says the guidance.

"NHS Improvement must also be confident that the improvements will be sustained."

If necessary, NHS Improvement can continue to offer some support, such as the continued employment of the improvement director or a continued partnership arrangement, after the trust has been taken out of special measures.

Nobody should be under the illusion that special measures is a quick fix, though.

If the CQC concludes that the necessary improvements have not been made, the special measures period can be extended, typically by an extra six months. But for some trusts it can be much longer – the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals trust, which runs the town's Royal Hospital, has been in special measures since December 2015. An inspection carried out this year revealed that some areas had actually got worse.

At the most extreme end of the scale, if a trust continually fails to meet the required standards, it can have its registration removed, meaning it can no longer provide health services, and another trust is appointed to take over in its place. In slightly less serious cases, conditions can be imposed on a trust restricting what services it provides. The CQC can also ask the Health Secretary to appoint an administrator to take temporary charge while considering the options for the future.