Norfolk’s three acute hospitals have all placed in the bottom quarter of the National Oversight Framework, the Government’s new approach to analysing the performance of NHS providers and integrated care boards.
Published on Tuesday 9 September, the new league table shows Trusts scored into four performance segments, with the first segment representing the best performing areas and the fourth segment showing the most challenged. Separate league tables are published for acute, non-acute and ambulance trusts.
Norfolk hospitals’ rankings
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital was ranked at number 111, The James Paget University Hospital at 129 and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn, was named as the worst performing in the country, placing bottom of the list at 134.
All three hospitals recently joined together to form the new Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group.
In response to the publication of the league table, Chris Bown, Interim Executive Managing Director of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, said: “Our patients deserve the highest standards of care, and we are sorry that in some of our performance areas, as reported in the National Oversight Framework data, we have fallen short.
“Immediate steps are being taken to address the issues. We are working closely within our newly formed Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group, as well as with NHS England and regulators to deliver urgent improvements.
“We recognise and take very seriously any concerns raised about The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. As an experienced leader with a strong track record of turning around financially and operationally distressed hospitals, I have been appointed to lead the hospital team to bring improvement.”
The statement goes on to list a number of measures that have already been put in place at the hospital, including a financial improvement plan, steps to reduce long wait times in the Emergency Department and efforts to tackle delays in cancer and diagnostic waits.
You can read the full statement from The Queen Elizabeth Hospital on its website here.
What is the purpose of the league tables?
The top performers in the league tables will receive more investment and decision-making freedoms, while those with lower scores will receive enhanced support. Pay for senior leaders will also be linked to performance.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “We must be honest about the state of the NHS to fix it. Patients and taxpayers have to know how their local NHS services are doing compared to the rest of the country.
“These league tables will identify where urgent support is needed and allow high-performing areas to share best practises with others, taking the best of the NHS to the rest of the NHS.”
‘Not where we want to be’
Professor Lesley Dwyer, Chief Executive of the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group, said: “Clearly, we want our hospitals to be rated higher much higher in the new National Outcomes Framework. They are not where we want them to be, and we owe it to our population, patients and staff to make rapid improvements. We are determined to do so.
“We have taken an important step forward by setting up our new Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group.
“By operating as a formal strategic Group, we can drive speedier and more decisive strategic action and accelerate improvement to patient pathways. Our first priorities are urgent and emergency care, cancer, frailty, stroke and maternity services.
“Though not happy with where we are now, we are also united and ambitious in our determination to do more. Our ambition, is to develop and deliver a University Hospital system that is recognised locally, regionally and nationally and globally for high quality healthcare, research, education and training and an employment destination of choice.”
Healthwatch Norfolk response
Alex Stewart, Chief Executive of Healthwatch Norfolk, said:
“We are disappointed to hear that all three of Norfolk’s acute hospitals have received poor ratings in the NHS Oversight Framework.
“We know that the staff at each of these Trusts are working hard to care for their patients every day, and that this period of considerable change and transition will be disruptive and worrying for many of them.
“The teams at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital have had to endure a lengthy process of uncertainty regarding the approval of a new hospital building, while working under very challenging circumstances. This news today will come as an additional blow to staff and patients.
“We are pleased to see that the hospital’s leadership have responded to today’s announcement swiftly, with a clear vision and plan for the future on how the issues raised in the National Oversight Framework will be addressed.
“We would urge the newly-formed Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group to ensure that the public are regularly kept informed of the changes this grouping will bring, the impact this will have on staff and services at each site and how quality of care for patients is being prioritised throughout the process.”
You can read the full league table of acute trusts on the Government’s website here.
