18.02.13
Rotherham NHS FT in breach of authorisation – Monitor
Monitor has stepped in at The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust (TRFT) after a “significant breach” of its terms of authorisation.
The trust has been instructed to take urgent action to improve the management of its finances and ensure that patient services remain sustainable. TRFT has underperformed on its financial plans, failed to deliver savings and has not successfully implemented a new electronic patient records system as agreed.
Stephen Hay, managing director for provider regulation at Monitor, said: “The trust has had financial problems for a while and we are concerned that their failure to address them may be due to the lack of adequate strength and capacity within the management team.
“We welcome the appointment of an interim chief executive last week and hope that the trust can quickly strengthen the way it governs its finances so that services to patients remain robust and sustainable.”
The trust has appointed an electronic patient record expert and will regularly report to Monitor on action to review and strengthen its corporate and financial governance arrangements.
Peter Lee, chairman at TRFT, said: “We fully acknowledge Monitor’s decision to place the trust in ‘significant breach’ but I can assure our patients, staff and the people of Rotherham that we have already begun to implement the changes that are required.
“We are committed to ensuring the future sustainability of the trust and we remain focused on continuing to deliver high quality services and safe care and for our community. We are determined to secure a long term healthy future for this trust for the people who need, want and deserve a high quality of healthcare in Rotherham and further afield.”
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