OnTheWight broke the story in May 2016 that a financial crisis at the IW NHS Trust and CCG led to emergency measures and a national body drafting in a consultant to swiftly build a Financial Recovery Plan.
A Turnaround Director was imposed on the Trust by NHS Improvement, but almost a year later it’s now being reported the Trust may be heading towards a Special Measures rating from the CQC.
Conditions imposed by CQC
At the end of last year the Care Quality Commission imposed a number of conditions on the IW NHS Trust.
They demanded it make immediate improvements to its community mental health service and mental health inpatient services.
No rating yet, say CQC
The CQC has since issued a draft report on IW NHS Trust performance with recommendations. The Trust are currently checking it for “factual accuracy”.
A spokesperson for the CQC told OnTheWight this morning (Tuesday) that no rating (Special Measures or otherwise) had yet been applied to the Trust, adding that the final report is not due out until next month (April).
Is Improvement Director a signal?
Phillipa Slinger, an Improvement Director with NHS Improvement (NHSI), has joined the Isle of Wight NHS Trust to provide assistance through the current difficult times.
It’s worth noting that both the CQC and NHS Improvement confirmed to OnTheWight that the appointment of an Improvement Director did not always mean a Trust was in Special Measures.
A spokesperson from NHS Improvement told OnTheWight,
“NHS Improvement does not only appoint an improvement director to trusts which are in special measures. An improvement director can be appointed to help with quality improvement work and ensure that a trust is providing safe and effective care to local patients.”
NHS Chief: “Got to get through any rumour that’s coming out there”
That said, IW NHS Trust Chief Executive, Karen Baker, used apparently contradictory language this morning on IW Radio,
She first said,
“I think Special Measures is a blow – and that’s what I want to say to our staff, we’ve got to get through, ummm, any rumour that’s coming out there to make sure that we really improve our services.”
Baker: Special Measure “not confirmed”
Then later, Ms Baker said it was “not confirmed” that IW NHS would go into Special Measures. They were looking at the report for factual accuracy, then the report would be sent back to the CQC, who will then make a recommendation to NHS Improvement.
She said going into Special Measures would be a good thing, later adding,
“If we go … if we did go into Special Measures, we’d get additional support, so we’d get an improvement director … we’d get other teams to come in and help us.”
Whatever the outcome of the end report, it’s clear there are problems at the Trust and our thoughts are with all those on the front line, who despite this, continue to provide Islanders with treatment and health care 24 hours a day.
Update from IW NHS Trust
Following reports in the media about the situation, the Isle of Wight NHS Trust Chief Executive Officer Karen Baker has today written to all Trust staff as follows:
Dear Colleague
CQC Report, Special Measures and reports in the media
In her message to you on Friday, Trust Chair Eve Richardson wrote to you all about the appointment by NHS Improvement of Philippa Slinger as our ‘Improvement Director’. Philippa has many years working at senior levels in the NHS and started yesterday. She will be meeting many of you as she learns more about the organisation and decides how she and NHS Improvement can help us.
However, her appointment as Improvement Director has been interpreted on the Isle of Wight County Press website as the Trust is already in ‘special measures’. Special measures is where NHS Improvement decides that a Trust needs additional support. That can be for a variety of reasons – performance, financial, quality, etc.. NHS Improvement has yet to formally receive the CQC’s report and then decide whether the Trust should be placed in ‘special measures’.
We only received the draft CQC report for factual accuracy checking late on Friday. We cannot comment on a report which is not ours and has not yet been published. However, NHS Improvement have recognised the challenging times we are in and we are fortunate to have an Improvement Director appointed now, as many Trusts only receive that support after they are put in ‘special measures’. Philippa’s role is to focus on improvement whilst we carry on providing care and I’m very pleased to have her support.
I went on IW Radio’s breakfast show this morning because I want the efforts that you are making to address the concerns raised by the CQC to be recognised. I and many others know that you are caring, compassionate and working really hard to give Islanders the best possible healthcare experience. We want that to shine through whatever criticism may be made of the Trust.
I am sorry that we haven’t been able at times to provide the care we would all want and as CEO I accept overall responsibility for that just as I know you are taking responsibility for the parts of the organisation and the care that we provide that you have responsibility for. If we all work together to address the CQC concerns then I believe, with the support that NHS Improvement are going to provide, that we can pull through this difficult time.
We have to provide comments on the draft CQC report by Tuesday 28th March and we can expect their report to be published shortly after that. Subject experts in each area are being involved in checking the facts to make sure the CQC have got it right. Remember, they only know what we as an organisation and as a wider community – i.e. those that we serve – have told them and even if we will find the commentary difficult and challenging we do want it to be factually correct.
When the report is published we will be briefing and communicating with you on a much wider basis to ensure that you have the information you need to communicate with family, friends and patients. In the meantime if you have any questions we have set up a special e-mail address. Please ask me any question you like about the issues above or the organisation in general. I will get an answer for you and guarantee that within 24 hours or earlier if I can.
Please keep up the good work.
Karen Baker
Chief Executive Officer
Eve Richardson, Chair of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust wrote to all staff on Friday 10th March as follows:
Dear Colleagues
Appointment of Philippa Slinger as Improvement Director for the Isle of Wight Trust
As with many other health services, the Isle of Wight NHS Trust faces a number of very significant quality and financial challenges. NHS Improvement , the central support and oversight body of all health providers in the UK offers Trusts that face such challenges practical support to aid rapid improvement. That support has several forms and one of those is the assignment of an Improvement Director to work alongside the Board providing some additional capacity and expertise.
To that end I am pleased to inform you that Philippa Slinger, an experienced NHS CEO is our Improvement Director. Philippa will be joining us on Monday 13 March and will work with the Board for several months and will support the Chief Executive and Executive team in delivering the organisation’s objectives. Philippa attended our recent Board meeting and over the next few weeks will be meeting with clinical leaders and senior managers as well as attending key meetings internally and externally.
I am sure you will all join me in welcoming Philippa to the Island and we welcome the support from NHS Improvement to help us achieve what we all seek that is the best care for our patients and the range of people that we serve across the Island.
Eve Richardson
Chair
Article edit
16.48: Statements from IW NHS Trust added.
9.32 (15th) Statement from NHS Improvement added.
Sources:
CP report NHS Trust has been placed in Special Measures
IW Radio interview with Karen Baker.
Image: © Channel4 News
