THE leader of Redditch Borough Council has given a ‘cautious welcome’ after talks on the future of health provision in the town.
Councillor Bill Hartnett’s verdict came after he was told of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust’s ‘nine point plan’ to address concerns raised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) during an inspection in April.
Progress on the plan was discussed when he met Michelle McKay, the chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and Simon Trickett, the accountable officer at GP-led Redditch & Bromsgrove clinical commissioning group, at Worcestershire Royal Hospital last Friday.
The meeting had been called by Coun Hartnett after a report by health inspectors earlier this month found ‘no tangible improvement’ at the Trust following an unannounced inspection in April.
The Trust remains rated as ‘Inadequate’ is staying in Special Measures and with a possible takeover or closure Section 29a notice hanging over it.
Coun Hartnett has long believed that the Trust in its current form is unviable, and reiterated that position at the meeting.
“Many people in Redditch are concerned by the recent CQC report.
“However I am encouraged by the response of the chief executive, and by what we heard in the meeting.
“We met for an hour and they went through the Trust’s nine-point improvement plan, and while clearly things don’t change overnight and it will be a lengthy process, they showed us some evidence of improvement since April.
“They’re expecting a re-inspection soon and we hope to see their work has had an effect in the right direction.”
He was also keen to help the Trust where possible and to work closer with it.
“We are where we are and I’m trying to work with the Trust to get the best for the people of Redditch,” he said.
The Trust has won the backing of the county’s three clinical commissioning groups which has led to the release of £29million in government money.
This will build a new 81 bed unit at Worcestershire Royal and extend the car park and refurbish the operating theatres at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, among other improvements.
However Redditch mums-to-be will still be unable to give birth at the Alex, its Acccident & Emergency department will stay as adults only and overnight childrens care will remain at the Royal in Worcester.
Coun Hartnett and Mrs McKay have agreed to meet again in October.
THE Trust’s nine-point plan refers to the nine areas that were identified as being in need of improvement in the latest CQC report.
These were: learning from incidents; assessing and responding to patient risks; medicines management; infection prevention and control; safety of premises and equipment; bed capacity and patient flow management; safeguarding; fit and proper persons; and fitness of equipment.
