Hospital trust’s care improves, but finances a problem

East Kent’s troubled hospital trust has been partially lifted out of special measures.

Health inspectors have agreed the quality of care at its main sites at the William Harveyin Ashford, the Kent & Canterbury Hospital and the QEQM in Margate has significantly improved.

But regulators NHS Improvement ( NHSI) say they still have serious concerns over the trust’s finances.

Hospital bosses revealed they still face a £24 million deficit and the trust’s purse will now be monitored by NHS Improvement’s financial special measures programme.

The Trust was plunged into special measures after a damning Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2014, where it was found to be failing in almost 40 clinical areas and wrestling with a near £40 million deficit

In December last year, the CQC published a report praising wide- spread improvements in the quality of care patients receive.

Now NHSI has agreed the recommendations of Sir Mike Richards, England’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals, to take the Trust out of quality special measures.

But the regulator said trust still hasn’t done enough to “ensure the sustainability of their financial position”.

Anne Eden, executive regional managing director for NHSI South said: “The i mprovements made by the trust to date, working together with NHS Improvement are great news for patients.

“The people of Kent want to be able to access high quality care quickly, and the hard work of all the staff and the current leadership team at the trust has enabled this to happen.

“However, in light of the ongoing financial challenges the trust must now demonstrate that its services are financially sustainable.”

The most recent CQC inspection gave The William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, an overall rating of ‘requires improvement’ but ‘good’ ratings for critical care and outpatient and diagnostic imaging.

Kent and Canterbury Hospital now has no inadequate services, with urgent care, critical care, services for children and outpatient and diagnostic imaging all considered good.

The QEQM Hospital, Margate, also requires improvement overall, but medical care, critical care, services for children and young people, and outpatient and diagnostic imaging are all rated as good.

Overall the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust is still rated as ‘requiring improvement’ and the CQC says it must tackle ongoing issues with recruiting skilled staff and enabling more patients to access treatment sooner.