Isle of Wight NHS Trust has been placed in special measures after an inspection rated the trust as ‘inadequate’.
The CQC inspectors identified concerns about the quality and safety of services, low staff morale and a leadership team that was said to be ‘out of touch’, preventing staff from providing good services.
Trust chair, Eve Richardson, said the hospital accepts the report ‘without reservation’ despite it being ‘highly critical’ of the services provided by the hospital.
Isle of Wight NHS Trust has been placed in special measures after an inspection rated the trust as ‘inadequate’.
The CQC inspectors identified concerns about the quality and safety of services, low staff morale and a leadership team that was said to be ‘out of touch’, preventing staff from providing good services.
Trust chair, Eve Richardson, said the hospital accepts the report ‘without reservation’ despite it being ‘highly critical’ of the services provided by the hospital.
She said: ‘We have let down our patients and our local community and on behalf of the Trust board and our staff I apologise unreservedly for this failure.’
The report also found serious concerns about the safety of mental health services.
The integrated trust, which provides care to around 140,000 people living on the island, will now receive a support package from NHS Improvement to help them make the necessary changes for patients.
As part of the package, NHS Improvement has appointed an ‘Improvement Director’, who will work with the trust to help them make quick and long lasting improvements for patients and exit special measures as quickly as possible.
The news comes as three other trusts are put into special measures this week.
Kettering General Hospitals Foundation Trust was also placed into special measures, while Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust were re-entered into the regime this week.
Dr Kathy Mclean, executive medical director for NHS Improvement, said Isle of Wight NHS Trust ‘is facing a number of challenges at the moment’.
She said: ‘These improvements will provide a strong foundation for the trust’s role in the longer-term plans for Hampshire and Isle of Wight patients. The plans aim to deliver improvements in patients’ experience of NHS care and offer access to services offering the best outcomes 7 days a week.’
Trusts that are put into special measures are subject to an external review of the hospital board and given advice on improving care quality.
