Decision Made After CQC Inspection Raised Concerns

The chief inspector of hospitals in England, Professor Sir Mike Richards, has recommended that University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust should be placed into special measures after it was rated inadequate in a recent inspection.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) identified seven areas where the trust could improve, including issues related to staffing levels, the need to recruit medical and specialist staff where there are shortfalls and a need to improve nurses’ records on medical wards.

Inspectors also stated that the quality of care at both Furness general Hospital and Royal Lancaster Infirmary required improvement, while Westmorland General Hospital was providing a good service.

Professor Sir Mike Richards, chief inspector of hospitals, said: “There is a long history of concern with the quality of service provided by University Hospitals of Morecambe bay NHS Foundation Trust – so it is disappointing to report that a number of the issues that have been identified in the past remain unresolved.

“I do not believe that the trust is likely to resolve its challenges without external support.”

Expert Opinion

It is very welcome to see this action taken and hopefully it will lead to urgent action which will address the serious concerns regarding this NHS Trust. <br/> <br/>"We represent a great number of patients and the families of those injured as a result of care failings at this trust, so have seen first-hand the terrible impact that failings have had on a huge number of people. <br/> <br/>"Both them and the local community as a whole deserve to be given reassurances that standards are being given urgent attention, with the ultimate aim of ensuring that safe, quality care is being provided at all of the relevant hospitals. <br/> <br/>"Lessons need to be learned from problems like this if safety on the NHS is to improve once and for all." Angela Kirtley - Partner