Bosses at one of London’s best hospitals were today ordered to help a failing trust in a radical bid to improve care in the worst trusts in the NHS.
A partnership was announced between the Royal Free in Hampstead and Basildon and Thurrock trust after it was named as one of 11 across the country with higher than expected death rates.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced a system akin to “superheads” helping failing schools — with bonuses available to high-performing hospitals if they improve standards in their new partners. The 11 trusts, which also include Medway foundation trust in Kent and Buckinghamshire Healthcare trust, were put into special measures this summer after an investigation by NHS England medical director Sir Bruce Keogh.
Mr Hunt said: “Turning round our failing hospitals is probably one of the biggest operational challenges that we face in the NHS. We have come to realise that some of the problems in certain hospitals are so entrenched it will take potentially three to five years to really turn them round.”
Basildon was put in special measures after seven “never events” — major clinical blunders that should never happen — in three years plus concerns over infection control and overnight staffing levels. It has since appointed 200 more nurses, improved management of emergency care and is halfway through implementing other recommendations from Sir Bruce.
A partner hospital is still being sought for Medway, which suffered poor management of deteriorating patients and potentially unsafe staffing levels. Buckinghamshire will be partnered with Salford Royal hospital.
Mr Hunt said hospitals would be reimbursed for the cost of providing assistance but said any bonuses would be decided on a case by case basis.
