Health trust off ‘critical list’ – but must improve

GREATER Manchester’s biggest hospital trust is no longer considered ‘inadequate’ by government inspectors but has been told it must improve further.

Out sister paper the M.E.N. revealed in 2016 how mums and babies had died because of bad medical decisions, poor attitude and chronic staff shortages at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

The body runs North Manchester General, Royal Oldham, Fairfield General and Rochdale Infirmary.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) bosses branded the trust ‘inadequate’ following our investigation.

The health watchdog has now published a follow-up report following a series of unannounced inspections in November and December. The trust’s overall rating has improved from ‘inadequate’ to ‘requires improvement.’

Maternity services at North Manchester and Royal Oldham hospitals, previously rated ‘inadequate,’ are now said to be ‘good.’

Overall, those hospitals were rated as ‘requires improvement.’

Bosses at the NHS trust, which employs 9,000 staff and has an annual budget of £560m, accepted that work still needs to be done, but said it had ‘turned a corner.’

Ellen Armistead, the CQC’s deputy chief inspector of hospitals for the north said: “I am pleased to report that we have found evidence of real improvement in care at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

“However, there remains a considerable amount to do to improve services for patients.”

Inspectors re-examined urgent and emergency care, medical services, maternity care and services for children and young people at North Manchester General.

It was given a ‘requires improvement’ rating, having previously been deemed ‘inadequate.’

Inspectors also looked at critical care services, maternity care and services for children and young people at Royal Oldham.

The hospital, previously seemed ‘inadequate,’ was rated as ‘requires improvement.’

Royal Oldham’s urgent and emergency services, medical services and surgery were given the same ‘requires improvement’ rating as previously.

CQC bosses also went to Fairfield and looked at urgent and emergency care, medical services and surgery, ruling that overall, the hospital was now ‘good,’ compared to a previous rating of ‘requires improvement.’

Rochdale Infirmary and the trust’s community services were inspected as they were rated as ‘good’ overall at the last inspection.

The CQC said the trust’s leadership - taken over by Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust following the 2016 inspection - and performance on ‘caring’ were ‘good.’

No individual services operated by the trust are now rated ‘inadequate.’

Inspectors said the trust ‘controlled inspection risk well’ and that staff kept themselves and equipment clean.

Staffing levels had improved, although inspectors said Pennine Acute didn’t have enough people with the right skills.

The trust’s chief executive Sir David Dalton said: “It’s been a difficult and challenging 18 months and this ●●Chief executive Sir David Dalton (inset) praised the work of staff at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Rochdale Infirmary has meant a lot of hard work, dedication and willingness by staff to implement our improvement plan across our services.

“The CQC’s findings are a testament to this hard work and commitment. I am delighted that the efforts of staff have been recognised by the CQC and that it confirms independently that we are making real positive progress and on track to deliver the improvements that our staff, our patients and their families deserve and expect.”