Improvement promised after Peterborough hospital trust falls down performance table

The North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Peterborough City Hospital, Hinchingbrooke and Stamford and Rutland hospitals, was rated as ‘requires improvement’ after a recent inspection from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and has fallen in the latest performance league table from 95th to 116th out of 158 similar trusts.

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And addressing members of Peterborough City Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee at their meeting on Tuesday, trust chief executive Caroline Walker said: “Clearly this latest CQC report is a disappointment, but we must take the positives from it that we can.

“The CQC only report in full once every three years so what we are actually reading is a snapshot indication of where we were before all of last year’s efforts were properly recorded and assessed.

“It is my belief that once this is done, and the full CQC report is published next year, it will indicate differently to the ‘still needs improvement’ that we achieved in 2018.”

Cllr Ansar Ali was more concerned about the league table, and said: “Can you explain to me how it is if we are now doing things so right – as you claim and suggest we are – that the NAWFT has fallen so far down the league tables this year from 95th out of 158 trusts to 116th?”

Ms Walker replied: “Again, the league tables are only a snapshot of where we are in what is an isolated look at the functions of the trust. The key government/NHS guideline for patients is that 95 per cent should be seen within four hours of arrival at a hospital, and we haven’t achieved that, or gotten anywhere near achieving that this year.

“While I’m naturally disappointed, it does mean that we now know where significant improvements can and will be made, and that will lead to us climbing back up that league table very shortly.

“Yes, the NAWFT does have its problems – we’ve fallen down the performance league tables – but we’re not the worst trust in this country by far, and we will improve – I guarantee that to you.”

Robert Alexander, Local Democracy Reporting Service