On Friday, myself and other Worcestershire MPs met with Sir David Nicholson, Chair of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust and his management team - including Director of Strategy, Sarah Smith.
There was a lot to discuss as the Trust, which runs Worcester, Kidderminster and Evesham Hospitals, is in Special Measures.
The Care Quality Commission regularly visits and the advice the Trust has been given, and the discussions that have ensued, are resulting in encouraging signs of improvement. Whilst the hospitals have areas of excellence – such as the Breast Cancer unit at Worcester - there is no shirking the problems which must be rectified. Working closely with the Care Quality Commission, there is evidence that the hospitals’ performances are improving and under the experienced guidance of the Chairman and the Chief Executive, there is confidence that services will continue improve. The vision and strategic objectives being put in place sound encouraging.
Whilst there can be no quick fix, there is strong evidence that the Trust is seeing the hospitals improve and are moving towards getting out of Special Measures.
