16.02.16
Sherwood Forest enters partnership to ‘rapidly’ improve services
After an ‘inadequate’ rating from the CQC, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has entered into long-term partnership with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust to improve services.
The trust received the inadequate rating in October after two years of being in special measures.
Since the October rating, Monitor has been supporting Sherwood Forest Hospital FT. It also appointed several new executives. Acting chief executive Karen Fisher was also replaced by Peter Herring, a former chief executive of trusts including Liverpool Women’s Hospital, Countess of Chester Hospital and Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital, on November 19 last year.
Herring said: “We believe this partnership will give us the best opportunity to move forward with a fresh start to improve and deliver the highest quality services in a sustainable way for our patients. We look forward to working with Nottingham University Hospitals and creating a new larger, combined organisation with them.
“Ahead of a formal transaction to join the two Trusts, the team at Nottingham University Hospitals will give us some immediate support to help us continue to make clinical improvements. In the medium term, the partnership will bring us a stable leadership team and improvements in governance.”
Following a detailed evaluation, which looked at the best way to rapidly improve quality, Sherwood chose Nottingham over Derby Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust, who also put in a partnership proposal.
Peter Homa, CEO at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “I recognise that some will have concerns about if such a large enterprise can operate optimally such is its scale and size.
“My view (and that of our Board) is yes it can; on the basis that the right conditions, infrastructure, visions and values are in place. I recognise this journey isn't going to be an easy one. We have the determination, experience and enthusiasm to make the new organisation a success; one in which staff can thrive, and where patients receive consistently high-quality care across Nottinghamshire."
NHS Improvement chief executive Jim Mackey said: “Today’s announcement is good news for patients. The interim leadership at Sherwood has made improvements recently and we welcome the hard work put in by staff at all levels.
“This partnership will help the trust continue to make necessary improvements and become sustainable in the long-term, providing the quality of care that local people expect.”
(Image c. thornypup via Flickr)