West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Type of Trust
NHS hospital trust
Trust Details
Last annual budget
Employees >4000[1]
Chair Mahdi Hasan
Chief Executive Jac Kelly MBE[2]
Links
Website West Herts Hospitals
Care Quality Commission reports CQC

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust runs three National Health Services hospitals: Watford General Hospital, St Albans City Hospital and Hemel Hempstead General Hospital, in Hertfordshire, England. It provides "acute healthcare services to a core catchment population of approximately half a million people living in west Hertfordshire and the surrounding area".[1] The Trust also "serves people living in North London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and East Hertfordshire".[1]

It has wrestled with the financial difficulties of running on several sites for many years.[3] In June 2012 it was proposed to develop a local general hospital on the Hemel Hempstead Hospital site.[4] In January 2015 the trust was operating with a deficit of £16.3 million - at that point in the year £4.3 million worse than planned, but with expectation of hitting its budgeted deficit target of £14 million. A loan for £11.1 million towards the trust’s capital costs has been approved by the Department of Health; a request for another £22.7 million of temporary borrowing was at that point still being considered.[5]

Criticism and praise

Former Chief Executive Samantha Jones was named by the Health Service Journal (HSJ) as Chief Executive of the Year in November 2014.[6] The Trust's daily Onion patient safety meeting, "an initiative aimed at improving patient care and empowering hospital staff to raise concerns about the quality of care provided",[7] was also Highly Commended in the 2014 HSJ Awards [8] The Onion's name refers to "the scheme ‘peeling back the layers’ within its hospitals".[7]

In December 2013 the Trust was one of thirteen hospital trusts named by Dr Foster Intelligence as having higher than expected higher mortality indicator scores for the period April 2012 to March 2013 in their Hospital Guide 2013.[9] The mortality rate subsequently fell by a quarter, an improvement credited to issues raised and dealt with at Onion meetings.[7]

Maternity

Following a Care Quality Commission inspection in April 2015 the Trust decided to suspend the private obstetric service at Watford General Hospital. This affects 27 mothers due to give birth after May 1.[10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/about/
  2. ↑ http://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/about/whos_who.asp
  3. ↑ "Herts consultation labelled a 'sham'". Health Service Journal. 1 January 2007. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  4. ↑ "Business case for new hospital in Hemel". Health Service Journal. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  5. ↑ "West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust is worse in debt than planned". Watford Observer. 15 March 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "HSJ Awards 2014: Chief Executive of the Year". Health Service Journal. 22 November 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/more-news/hospitals-boss-wins-oscar-of-the-nhs-world-1-6431366
  8. ↑ http://www.hsj.co.uk/awards/hsj-awards/hsj-awards-2014-patient-safety/5076928.article#.VNNM6j288pk
  9. ↑ "Dr Foster identifies 13 trusts with high mortality ratios". Health Service Journal. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "'Anxious, devastated and disgusted' - births at private maternity unit suspended". Borehamwood Times. 22 April 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2015.