The Care Quality Commission has published its report on the quality of care provided at Whipps Cross University Hospital.
As you can see, it is pretty damning.
The report identified a number of very significant weaknesses, in particular poor leadership, low staff morale, insufficient numbers of staff, and an over-reliance on agency and temporary staff. As a result proper protocols and procedures were not followed, patient information was not tracked and monitoring was inconsistent.
Large scale job losses, pay ‘down banding’ and ‘a culture of bullying and harassment’ were all contributory factors. The NHS trust that runs the hospital – Barts – has been put into special measures.
For those of us living in the north of the borough Whipps is far easier to get to than Newham General. So, despite being in Waltham Forest, it’s our local hospital.
And it’s nowhere near good enough.
UPDATE: According to councillor Dianne Walls on Twitter, Newham’s health and social care scrutiny commission will be taking evidence from both the CQC and Whipps Cross management in April: “We need to know what it means for Newham residents when one of our main hospitals is deemed inadequate, even though it is in Waltham Forest.”
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