Chief executive says there is ‘no quick fix’ to care at Shropshire hospitals

A health chief says that there is ‘no quick fix’ in improving hospital care in Shropshire, as inspectors are assessing the provision provided.

However, Simon Whitehouse, chief executive of NHS Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Integrated Health Board says that plans put in place to improve key areas show an improvement trajectory.

His comments come as the Care Quality Commission are carrying out an inspection at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).

When inspectors last visited in 2021 the Trust was given an overall rating of ‘inadequate’ with two keys areas given the same rating along with several areas in end-of-life care.

Louise Barnett, chief executive at SaTH, said that since the previous inspection they had made some ‘significant improvements’.

“We are in the middle of a CQC inspection currently and they will be re-rating the areas which you have identified,” she said.

“They have come into a series of core services which includes end-of-life care, medicine and urgent emergency care. We’ve certainly been working hard to make improvements.

“We believe that we’ve made some significant progress in terms of this inspection, but that will be for the CQC for determine.”

Director of nursing Hayley Flavell said that following the last inspection there is now an ‘combined team’ with palliative and end-of-life care.

“We’ve had some initial feedback and that did demonstrate significant improvements in lots of areas,” added Mrs Flavell.

“We’ve still got a long way to go, but that noted significant improvements in palliative and end-of-life.”

The health bosses were speaking at joint health overview and scrutiny committee held by Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin councillors this week.

Councillor David Sandbach said that the Trust has never recorded a score better than ‘requires improvement’.

The representatives was asked by councillor Geoff Elner what would happen if they continue to be rated as ‘inadequate’?

Mr Whitehouse replied that they would continue to work with the National Intensive Support team and there would be further conversation about what the recovery plan looks like.

He said that since 2022 the changes included the formation of the Integrated Care Board and Integrated Care System.

“There is a responsibility of system partners as well as SaTH in terms of responsibility for residents of Shropshire,” he added.

“To drive improvements in one part is actually connected and linked to our partners as well. We’re already in the lowest oversight framework so we’re already in the maximum amount of support that is currently offered nationally.

“There is a real importance now that the focus is on how to deliver better integrated care across pathways for the residents of Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin.

“Everybody has recognised that the estate limitations are a contributing factor in how some of this works as well. Nationally the government wouldn’t have put the £312million support ready to deliver the Hospital Transformation Programme if there wasn’t clear recognition of the contribution that the estate challenge has to that and the challenge of delivering acute service across two general hospitals with the workforce challenges very different now to what they were several years ago.

“There’s not going to be in the system a quick fix where somebody flicks a switch and says that bit is all sorted and we’re in a better place.

“Some of that is reliant upon the delivery of the Hospital Transformation Programme and some of that is reliant upon making sure that we’ve got the right workforce to meet the needs of the population.

“Some of that is reliant upon making sure we’re working with local authorities and the voluntary community sector.”