Move comes as hospital is investigated over allegations that staff changed records about delays in treatment
The hospital at the centre of an investigation into allegations that it falsified the appointment and treatment times of cancer patients has been put into special measures.
Monitor, the heath sector regulator, on Thursday said it would send an “improvement director” to the NHS trust running Colchester general hospital, and appoint an as-yet-unnamed high-performing trust to deliver changes to the “cancer pathway” followed by about 6,000 patients a year at Colchester and at the town’s Essex county hospital.
It also hinted that there may be later changes in the trust’s leadership. Essex police are considering whether a criminal investigation is needed as a result of last week’s scathing report that contained allegations of bullying and pressurising of staff to falsify details of patients’ cancer care.
Adam Cayley, regional director for Monitor, said: “Following the urgent actions already taken to safeguard patients at the trust we have stepped in formally to assure the health and wellbeing of patients using the cancer pathway at Colchester.
“The trust has been given an explicit set of actions to improve the service it offers patients. We will be monitoring progress closely and we will not hesitate to take further regulatory action if required.”
Cayley added: “The leadership of the trust will be reviewed as part of our scrutiny of the trust’s governance arrangements and, if necessary, further regulatory action will be taken.”
Sir Mike Richards, chief inspector of hospitals at the Care Quality Commission, responsible for last week’s report, said: “We welcome Monitor’s decision to accept my recommendation to place Colchester hospital university NHS foundation trust in special measures.
“I am pleased that information from CQC’s inspection has resulted in the action that is being taken by Monitor to improve services at the trust. CQC will continue to monitor the trust in line with its regulatory responsibilities and this will include further inspections.”
Gordon Coutts, chief executive of the Colchester hospital university foundation trust, repeating last week’s apology to cancer patients, said it was already taking action in response and continuing to address all the concerns.
“Our priority is the safety and wellbeing of all our patients. The additional advice and support that we will receive as a result of the announcement by Monitor will help us to make the improvements that are needed quickly and effectively. Pairing us with another trust will also provide the opportunity to have a fresh pair of eyes to look at our services.” The trust board was holding a public meeting on Thursday to update local people on its response to the crisis and to take questions.
Tracey Lambert, regional head of health for Unison, whose members blew the whistle and were praised by the CQC, said: “The decision to take Colchester hospital into special measures is the right one. The trust board has lost the confidence of patients and the public in north-east Essex and people want to see strong, positive action to improve healthcare at the hospital.
“Unison members alerted executive directors at the hospital that they were being bullied into falsifying data relating to the treatment of cancer patients, but their concerns were not dealt with,” said Lambert. “We know that our members in other departments also believed they would not be listened to if they spoke out about their fears. Unison repeatedly made this point to the trust.
“In light of what has happened at Colchester, there is a need for a significant change of leadership and we look forward to working with the new regime.”
The initial CQC investigation looking at a sample of records dating back to the end of 2011 found 30 patients may have been put at risk but they or their next of kin were only notified and offered a review of treatments by the trust the day before the critical report was published. NHS England and the local group commissioning services from the trust are now conducting a more detailed check on records dating back to 2010. Although the trust last week said no one had been suspended, the head of cancer services, Rachael West, is reportedly on special leave.
Source: theguardian.com