Shropshire Star

'No guarantee' of extra staff for Shropshire hospital in special measures

There is 'no guarantee' extra staff will be provided to the trust running Shropshire's two main hospitals even with the additional support it will get in special measures, health bosses have said.

Published
Health bosses say there is 'no guarantee' extra staff will be provided to SaTH while it is in special measures

NHS Improvement announced last week that Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) would be placed into special measures following safety concerns raised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

It comes as the trust faces having to close its A&E department overnight at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital because of staff shortages.

Deirdre Fowler, director of nursing, midwifery and quality at the trust, addressed a meeting of Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group's governance board on Tuesday.

She said she was confident that patients are being kept safe and measures have been put in place since SaTH received warnings from the CQC.

But when asked whether NHS Improvement will now provide the staff the trust needs, Ms Fowler said: "We don't know that.

"We are working with NHS Improvement to achieve the staffing levels that we need.

"There's no guarantee NHS Improvement will be able to provide that to us.

"We are aware there isn't a cavalry coming over the hill to bail us out here."

She said SaTH was looking for its own solutions, such as developing roles like nursing associates.

Support

Ms Fowler told the board that SaTH will be one of 15 NHS trusts that are in special measures.

She said the trust welcomes the support it will get from NHS Improvement.

Nigel Lee, chief operating officer at SaTH, also told the meeting the trust is continuing its work to try and avoid the night-time closure of A&E at PRH.

But he added: "At this stage we are not all the way there yet."

The overnight closure is expected to come in on December 5, if the right levels of staff cannot be recruited, to ensure the department can run safely 24-hours-a-day.

The CCG board was also questioned about the extra funding ambulance services would need if the overnight closure happens.

Jon Cooke, chief finance officer for the CCG, said if the night-time closure lasted six months it was likely ambulance services would need an additional £500,000 to cope.

He said conversations were taking place between the CCG, SaTH and NHS England about who would pay the funds.

Mr Cooke added: "Between us we will ensure there's appropriate cover for whatever decision is made and the financial consequences will not be a barrier to that being delivered."