Help for Isle-governing NHS Trust in special measures

A drive to improve quality of care and finances at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust is to be boosted by another NHS Trust.
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stock hospital A+E, main corridor

NHS Improvement today confirmed that it has commissioned East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust to work with NLaG, which was placed in special measures for quality and finances earlier this year.

NLaG chief executive Dr Peter Reading said: “In the month since my appointment, I have been impressed by the dedication, commitment, professionalism and sheer hard work staff are putting in to treat almost 2,000 patients each day.

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“We are working to make the necessary improvements to lift ourselves out of special measures for quality and finances; improve our Care Quality Commission ratings, and, most importantly, provide the healthcare local people have a right to expect. Securing support from ELHT is a significant and welcome step on what will be a challenging journey.

“Working with our patients, local people, partners, other stakeholders and now with our colleagues from East Lancashire, I believe we can take the necessary steps to give people the hospitals they deserve.”

The buddying relationship between NLaG and ELHT will work on a number of levels, offering advice and guidance, peer support, and hands on work to support NLaG to improve service delivery.

Details of the support to be provided are under discussion, but are likely to include initiatives to improve quality, patient safety and governance, under NLaG’s existing Improving Together programme, a transformation plan.

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This is being implemented by staff across the trust and aims to:

Make sure services are safe

Get more staff, particularly doctors, in post and do more to keep existing staff

Put clinicians, particularly doctors, at the heart of running the trust

Make sure the trust listens to staff, responds more effectively and keeps them informed about what is going on

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Make sure money is spent in the most effective way to ensure quality care.

ELHT was placed in special measures in 2013 and is now rated “Good” by the Care Quality Commission.

Lyn Simpson, regional managing director for NHS Improvement in the North, said: “We are really pleased to have been able to facilitate this working relationship, using a model which has shown tremendously positive results in other areas of the country.

“The programme we envisage, and which we have developed in consultation with both organisations, is thorough and professional, and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.

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“We firmly believe this partnership will be a positive one, which leads to clear and quantifiable outcomes, and improvements in healthcare services for the people of Northern Lincolnshire and Goole.”