Care Quality Commission damning report on Addenbrooke’s Hospital

Posted 21/09/2015

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been placed in special measures by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after inspectors found its financial management and care “inadequate”. It is reported that the hospital, which spent £200million last year on setting up an e-hospital system for holding electronic copies of patient records, is running a deficit of £1.2million a week.

The CQC looked in detail at eight key service areas – surgery and intensive care, child and maternity services and out patients – provided by Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Maternity Unit. Inspectors expressed concerns about staffing levels and delays in out patient treatment and found that routine operations were frequently cancelled and maternity services regularly closed.

Rosaline Wong, Clinical Negligence Lawyer at Ashtons Legal said: “Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie Maternity Hospitals have been rated ‘inadequate’ by the Care Quality Commission but we must not lose sight of the fact that Addenbrooke’s Hospital as a leading cancer centre has the most favourable cancer survival rate in the country. Notwithstanding increasing demand on services and shrinking government budgets, the quality of health care provided by the Trust is still rated as outstanding”.

“The CQC has delivered a damning report but I believe the immense pressure to achieve efficiency savings must have impeded the Trust’s ability to cope with the increased demand on services. It is absolutely right to raise concerns if patients are being put at risk, staff shortages are serious or practices are unsafe, however, the CQC’s criticisms will inevitably affect staff morale which does not help as staff have been working under very trying conditions”.

Rosaline adds: “It is hoped that the Trust will receive help and support to rapidly address the failings identified”.