Hospital bosses grilled over £30 million doctor and nurse recruitment crisis

The claim was made as Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust – which was rated inadequate and placed in special measures this month – faced a grilling from councillors yesterday (December 9).

One member of Worcestershire County Council’s health overview and scrutiny committee said the trust should be broken up while Healthwatch Worcestershire labelled the trust’s Care Quality Commission inspection “absolutely disappointing”.

But other councillors praised the trust for its progress – and even claimed “irresponsible” press coverage was undermining efforts to bring top quality staff to the area.

Trust bosses added “we are not a failing trust” and similarly criticised negative campaigning and headlines for exacerbating recruitment difficulties.

But the CQC, in its report published on Wednesday, December 2, was particularly damning.

The trust was lambasted for “serious problems” including an over-reliance on temporary staff, insufficient consultant cover, overcrowding at A&E and a lack of learning from incidents.

Inspectors graded the trust inadequate for safety and leadership and requires improvement for effectiveness and responsiveness, resulting in an overall classification of inadequate.

The heated committee meeting at county hall on Wednesday (December 9) gave councillors the opportunity to hold the trust’s management – including chief executive Chris Tidman, deputy chairman John Burbeck and improvement director Marie-Noelle Orzel – to account.

Key points raised in the discussions included:

• Breaking up the trust – councillor Graham Vickery passionately presented the view – shared by Redditch Borough Council and Redditch MP Karen Lumley – that the trust should be broken up with services potentially run by higher performing trusts. But Mr Burbeck countered that breaking up the trust would take too long when progress is needed now.

• Nurse numbers – Mr Burbeck said there are currently about 150 nurse vacancies but the trust is “doing everything we can” to fill the posts

• Potential employees are turning away – staff are being deterred from applying to work in the county because of a poor reputation, according to Healthwatch Worcestershire

• Unanimous calls for the review into hospital services across Worcestershire to be sped up – “the sooner the review is completed the better”, said councillor Andrew Roberts, while Mr Burbeck called for “strong decision making” to break the current “appalling situation”

• Reputational problems – Simon Adams, of Healthwatch Worcestershire, said if the trust develops a “toxic brand” recruitment would become even more difficult, advocating a “careful and mindful” approach to public relations.

• Semantics over the CQC’s use of the word “safe” – it was claimed being rated inadequate in terms of safety does not mean the county’s hospitals are dangerous

• Fears the clinical commissioning groups could buy services from higher-performing trust outside of Worcestershire – “that would be completely unacceptable, we need a Worcestershire solution”, said councillor Fran Oborski

• The massive costs of temporary staff – Mr Tidman explained the trust could save £30 million a year on agency premiums if it could fill all of its vacancies

• Improving image – the trust aspires to “sell itself” better after a series of “reputational hits” created recruitment difficulties

• Promoting Worcestershire – the trust wants to portray Worcestershire as a great place to work and to attract the “best doctors and nurses” to apply for vacancies

• Criticism of campaigners – “there is a real fear that consistent negative campaigning will end up counting against what we are trying to achieve”, said Mr Tidman

• Leadership problems – several councillors called for interim executives to be replaced with permanent appointments

• Defiance from the trust – “being in special measures means we need enhanced support, it does not mean we are a failing hospital”, said Mr Tidman

• Disagreement over the CQC – councillor Brian Cooper said some doctors think the CQC is “not fit for purpose” due to “flawed processes” but others praised inspectors

• Praise for the trust – councillor Frances Smith said “you are doing a splendid job”

• Financial problems – Mr Tidman said 90 per cent of trusts are facing financial deficits and the “idea there is a white knight who can come in and save us is deluded”

• Criticism of the trust’s positive spin in its press releases – councillor Philip Gretton said “I understand the need to maintain morale but you shouldn’t try and hide the headlines”