9 June 2014
The Chief Inspector of Hospitals has recommended that Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comes out of special measures following a Care Quality Commission inspection.
Professor Sir Mike Richards has made the recommendation to health sector regulator Monitor following a CQC inspection which resulted in the trust receiving a rating of ‘Good’.
The trust was inspected in March as part of CQC’s new regime of inspections which now see NHS trusts receiving a rating.
A report due to be published today (Monday, 9 June) shows the trust, where CQC previously found several failings, has made significant improvements in a number of areas.
Sir Mike Richards said: “I am very pleased to be able to recommend that Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust should exit special measures. I formally made my recommendation to Monitor, which regulates foundation trusts, and welcome their announcement today regarding this.
“Our inspection in March found significant improvements in a number of areas and we particularly found maternity services at the trust were outstanding.
“Some improvements are however still needed, so the trust cannot be complacent. But, as the trust has moved forward and made improvements across its services, CQC has confidence in the trust’s leadership to continue to work to make further changes for the good of its patients.”
The trust was placed in to special measures following an inspection by Sir Bruce Keogh and his team in July last year.
Monitor has been overseeing the trust with regard to it being placed in to special measures and has the responsibility for deciding whether or not it should now exit special measures in the wake of CQC’s inspection and Sir Mike’s recommendation.
The trust, which serves a population of around 405,000, has been given an overall rating of ‘Good’ following CQC’s inspection. Full copies of the report on the trust will be available on CQC’s website at: Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
During their visit, inspectors looked at services at Basildon University Hospital and found good practice in a number of areas. The trust was seen to be providing caring, effective, responsive and well led services.
- The care and treatment of people using maternity services was outstanding.
- Bereavement services for parents who had lost children were also outstanding.
- The trust had excellent leadership which was credited with having changed the culture and behaviour of staff.
- Specialist nursing staff for people living with dementia and those with learning disabilities meant that staff were beginning to support patients effectively.
- Critical care services were good, patients approaching the end of their lives were well supported and cared for and children’s services were responsive to the needs of patients.
CQC also identified areas where the trust should improve and one where the trust must improve.
- Basildon Hospital must improve the way medications are stored and recorded. Inspectors found controlled drugs had not been recorded correctly and nutritional drugs that were out of date were also found.
Inspectors will return to check on what progress has been made with regard to those areas highlighted for improvement.
ENDS
For media enquiries, contact Louise Grifferty, regional communications manager, on 07717 422917 or contact CQC’s press office on 020 7448 9401, during office hours, or, out of hours, on 07917 232 143. For general enquiries, call 03000 61 61 61.
Find out more
Read reports from our checks on the standards at Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.