Underperforming NHS Trusts: Government Oversight — [Graham Stuart in the Chair]

Adam Dance highlighted the underperformance of his NHS trust since a merger, citing issues with maternity and stroke services. He raised concerns about the closure of the maternity unit due to CQC findings and the closure of the hyper-acute stroke unit, leading to increased travel times for patients. He also mentioned reports of bullying and poor work culture within the trust and called for improved oversight and support from the government.

She raised serious ambulance delays at the Royal Stoke university hospital, where the average wait time between April and September was one hour and 33 minutes, with the longest being 17 hours and 41 minutes. She highlighted that only 16% of handovers met the 15-minute standard, the worst in the west midlands and third worst in the country. She emphasized that the problem was not due to an increase in A&E attendance and called for a deeper look into the culture and patient flow.

Caroline Johnson expressed concern over the NHS's declining performance, highlighting issues such as rising waiting lists, staff sickness rates, and the abolishment of Healthwatch and NHS England. She also questioned the Government's plan to integrate various bodies into the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the selection process for the five trusts chosen for the special intensive recovery programme. Asked if the Minister would give way.

Caroline Voaden intervened to express concern about the fire enforcement notice affecting a quarter of the beds at Torbay hospital and called for urgent government funding to repair and remediate the hospital.

David Chadwick warned about the risks of government disengagement from NHS trusts, citing the consultation in Powys teaching health board which proposes slashing hospital beds and cutting services. He highlighted the public opposition with nearly 10,000 signatures against the cuts and hundreds of attendees at public meetings, and criticised the Welsh Government's refusal to intervene despite public outcry and operational contradictions.

Dr Caroline Johnson highlighted the importance of addressing the issue of underperforming NHS Trusts, stressing the need for transparency and accountability. She mentioned that 18 NHS Trusts are currently facing performance issues and noted the necessity of urgent action to ensure patient safety and trust in the NHS.

Helen Morgan highlighted the challenges faced by underperforming NHS trusts, citing the Shrewsbury and Telford hospital trust as an example. She described the negative impact on patients and staff, including long ambulance wait times and incidents of patient neglect, which led to preventable deaths and harm. She also noted the improvements made following a targeted campaign and praised the new leadership team for their efforts. She advocated for holding leaders accountable, retaining Healthwatch and HSSIB, and introducing statutory protections for whistleblowers.

Jack Abbott highlighted the long-standing issues faced by NHS trusts in Ipswich, particularly Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT), which has struggled with long waits, inconsistent care, and a history of entering special measures. However, he noted that significant progress has been made with the number of patients waiting more than 18 weeks falling by over 80%, and more than 95% of patients experiencing a first episode of psychosis beginning treatment within two weeks of referral, outperforming the national standard. Abbott called for continued funding and focus on mental health improvements.

James McMurdock discussed the concerning performance of Basildon hospital, ranked 131st out of 134 by the Care Quality Commission. He cited issues such as management practices overriding clinical expertise and inadequate facilities, while expressing gratitude for the staff's efforts despite challenging conditions. He called for better oversight and support from the government.

James Wild addressed the poor performance of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn trust, noting that it was ranked 134th out of 134 trusts in the league table. He highlighted issues such as low adherence to 62-day cancer treatment standards and A&E four-hour wait times. Wild questioned the support provided by Health Ministers and expressed concerns over leaked proposals suggesting downgrading of A&E, maternity, and ICU services. He urged the Minister to ensure these services are not downgraded.

Jim Shannon focused on cancer treatment underperformance in NHS trusts, noting the decline in treatment times and serious consequences on patient outcomes. He cited specific instances like the death of a patient at Mid and South Essex trust linked to the failure to meet cancer waiting time targets, and called for effective oversight and accountability to address underperformance and restore public confidence. Jim Shannon intervened to support the call for more encouragement and protection for whistleblowers in the NHS.

Lola McEvoy highlighted the breast cancer failings at County Durham and Darlington NHS foundation trust, where 321 out of 538 reviewed cases experienced harm, including 20 unnecessary mastectomies. She called for additional funding and a public inquiry to ensure justice and lessons learned, noting that the process could cost £4.5 million and take until the 2030s without extra resources.

Mr Francois criticised the management of the merged Basildon, Broomfield, and Southend hospitals, suggesting that the regional director Clare Panniker should intervene to address the ongoing issues.

Richard Foord discussed the challenges faced by the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS foundation trust, serving a rural and coastal population with an ageing demographic and workforce pressures. He cited the chief medical officer's warnings about the health challenges in coastal towns and the difficulties of accessing healthcare, illustrated by a constituent's struggle with skin cancer treatment due to limited local services.

Mr Holden highlighted the issues with Basildon and Billericay Hospital within the Mid and South Essex NHS foundation trust, particularly concerning corridor care and thoughtlessness in patient treatment, citing an incident where a constituent was given a second-hand grief book after losing their spouse.

Ms Edwards discussed the challenges faced by her local NHS trust, the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS foundation trust, which has been failing to meet cancer care targets despite increased funding.

He highlighted the poor condition of the hospital estate in his constituency, with more than 80% not fit for purpose. He mentioned ongoing sewage leaks and fire safety issues, with a fire safety notice served due to serious concerns. He requested an urgent meeting with the Minister to explore the impact of the CQC warning and fire safety issues, and sought clarification on the rumours about the closure of beds.

Tim Farron highlighted the challenges faced by NHS trusts in rural areas, citing examples from his constituency. He pointed out significant funding discrepancies and service closures, particularly the closure of 42 beds at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay foundation trust due to imposed cost savings. Farron also noted poor cancer treatment access and high suicide rates in rural areas, calling for better understanding and funding from the Government.