Last month, inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) visited Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) to asses the maternity services and the emergency departments run by the trust responsible for Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.
The CQC has confirmed it has now taken further urgent action with regard to the emergency departments, including paediatrics. The watchdog’s main issue was over children leaving emergency departments without treatment.
SaTH was placed into special measures last year and also received the lowest overall rating from the CQC. Leadership and the safety of services were both rated 'inadequate' by the CQC last year, while the watchdog said the trust needs to make improvements in how effective and responsive its services are.
Commenting, local MP, Lucy Allan said:
“I am shocked by this announcement and by the Chief Executive’s complacent response. SaTH is in special measures and these repeated warnings from the Care Quality Commission just add to the anxiety experienced by local people who use services at the Princess Royal. This just goes on and on with no one taking responsibility; it’s clear the management is in denial about how serious this is.
“This can’t go on. It is now time for the management of SaTH to be held to account. There is a clear need to rebuild the confidence of the community and that starts by change at the top. There must now be a complete overhaul of the senior management team.”
