Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust says it is making steady progress on implementing improvement plan

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust says it is making steady progress on implementing an improvement plan following a parliamentary debate in which MPs asked why fears about the Trust's failings, first raised in parliament a decade ago, had not been acted upon.

A spokesperson for The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs The Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary, Fairfield General Hospital in Bury and North Manchester General Hospital, said: “Under the new leadership of Sir David Dalton, the Trust is making good steady progress on implementing our Improvement Plan following the CQC inspection of our services last year.

“Our priority is to listen to and support our staff to ensure the stability of key services including in A&E, our maternity and children’s services, and critical care so that these fragile services are made safer, more reliable and more efficient and effective. Workforce recruitment and retention continues to be a key component and driver to the sustainability of our services and so we are putting in a huge amount of effort and investment in recruiting nursing, midwifery and medical staff into these key areas. The improvements and investment we are making will help make our hospitals where staff want to work and where patients want to be treated and cared for.

“A key aspect of the improvements needed is to strengthen leadership and accountability across our hospitals and services. For the first time since the creation of the Pennine Acute Trust and merger of four district general hospitals, each hospital site and place-based team now consists of a Medical Director, a Nursing Director and a Managing Director. Together they will manage the local services provided at each site. This new site-based leadership arrangement will have a clearer focus and be able to offer staff better support and engagement, and take operational decisions for each hospital site. They will also be able to strengthen relationships and joint working with our local healthcare partners, including Local Authorities and local commissioners.

“It is recognised that for the Trust to make services safer and more reliable, it requires the support from our health and social care partners to consider longer-term solutions for services across Greater Manchester. We are working closely and positively with our four local CCGs, Local Authorities and neighbouring Trusts, as well as regional partner agencies across Greater Manchester, through the Pennine Improvement Board, to look at ways to strengthen medical and nurse staffing, strengthen our models of care, and support our staff on the frontline who are working incredibly hard often under demanding and pressured circumstances.

“Substantial investment in the long term sustainability of services is undoubtedly necessary. As part of the Improvement Plan, a finance package of £9.2m was secured in late 2016 - additional money to spend on staffing and service improvements. Further investment will be required. Key to our future success will be having clear and distinct service plans for each of our hospitals and localities. A clinical services and estates strategy is being developed which will provide the basis for a longer term investment and improvement plan to assure sustainable services. A new strategic direction for clinical services is being developed which will require capital estate investment for each hospital site and facilities. Key to the future success of each of the Trust’s hospitals and services will be having clear and distinct service plans for each of our hospitals and localities.

“We welcome the interest and ongoing support from of our local MPs in our staff and in our improvement journey and plans for our services, hospitals and services staff. We see our improvement journey and future changes as a great opportunity to build a brighter future for the services we provide across our hospitals sites and in the community.”