Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust rated 'inadequate' again
The health watchdog did find some improvements since a damning report
The Care Quality Commission has rated Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust inadequate following an inspection, but it found some progress following a damning report last year.
The health watchdog looked at the trust’s urgent and emergency care, medical care and end of life care at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital, Telford, in July and August. It also inspected the trust’s maternity services at the Princess Royal Hospital.
The trust is rated inadequate again for being safe and responsive to people’s needs and requires improvement for being caring.
It comes as senior midwife, Donna Ockenden, released the first report into maternity services at the trust following reports of baby deaths and poor care for mothers. Ms Ockenden and her team launched a "staff voices initiative" seeking to speak to staff working in SaTh's maternity services and anyone who worked at the trust for the period of the review, which goes back to 2000.
Ted Baker, CQC chief inspector of hospitals, said: “I recognise the enormous pressure NHS services are under across the country and that usual expectations cannot always be maintained, but it is important they do all they can to mitigate risks to patient safety while facing these pressures.
“Despite these pressures, the trust has made progress. It has benefited from more effective leadership that has helped drive improvements, and it has a much better understanding of the challenges it faces. While the trust continues to have significant work to do to provide care that meets standards people have a right to expect, it is providing more effective care overall.
“However, its risk management remains inconsistent and we are not assured it is doing all it can to ensure people’s safety."
Although CQC’s latest inspection of the Trust found it continues to fall significantly short of offering good care overall, it has made some progress which, if sustained, could help it considerably improve the quality and safety of care it offers to people.
A copy of the report can be found here.