The outcome of a review looking into the high mortality rates of fourteen hospital trusts have been announced, with the Government declaring that eleven hospitals are to be placed in special measures following several major failings.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt claimed that difficulties within the trusts were so engrained that urgent action needed to be taken; citing insufficient care, staffing problems and poor leadership amongst his concerns.
The other three trusts investigated in the review, launched following the public inquiry into the Stafford hospital scandal earlier this year, were also told that they must make improvements. The health secretary said investigators believed, however, that the leaders of these trusts were capable of making the changes required.
Teams of external experts shall be placed in the other eleven trusts as part of the process of special measures. These experts will then work alongside the senior management team.
Mr Hunt explained: “We have taken swift and tough action to make sure these hospitals are given all necessary support to improve.
“We owe it to the three million people who use the NHS every week to tackle and confront mediocrity and inadequate leadership head on.”
The 14 trusts are responsible for as many as 19 hospitals throughout the country.
Sir Bruce Keogh, medical director for NHS England has been leading the probe. He said: “Not one of these trusts has been given a clean bill of health by my review teams.
“These reviews have been highly rigorous and uncovered previously undisclosed problems.
“I felt it was crucial to provide a clear diagnosis, to write the prescription, and, most importantly, to identify what help these organisations might need to support their recovery or accelerate improvement.”