UK Health Commission downgrades four foundation trusts
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《英国医生杂志》
Professor Ian Kennedy said the information collected about mental health services was "not good enough"
Credit: ULRIKE PREUSS
Four foundation hospital trusts have been graded down to two stars in this year's round of annual performance indicators from the healthcare watchdog, throwing into question their future as independent operators.
Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust, Addenbrooke's NHS Trust, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust, and Papworth Hospital NHS Trust could face being stripped of their foundation status if they fail to satisfy demands from the independent regulator of NHS foundation trusts to explain the reasons for their demotion by 3 August.
Three of the fours trusts failed to achieve three stars, the standard required to opt for foundation status, on grounds of financial management. If they are found to be in breach of the terms of authorisation set by the regulator, action could be taken against them, said a spokes-person for the regulator.
Overall the star ratings for 2003-4 show that the NHS is improving in most areas. Acute and specialist trusts, which have been rated for the fourth year in a row and longer than any other organisation, performed particularly well. Nearly half (43%) achieved three stars and 78% achieved two or three stars, even though targets, such as waiting times, have become tougher.
Anna Walker, chief executive of the Healthcare Commission, which published the star ratings for the first time this year, said: "There is clearly an improving NHS. There are tougher targets and these are being reached by more trusts, which shows that this system can help drive improvement."
Primary care trusts have also been improving in general. Three quarters of them now boast two or three stars, compared with less than two thirds last year. But primary care trusts in London continue to perform badly compared with those in the rest of the country. Only 39% have three or two stars, compared with 86% of such trusts in northern England. And no London primary care trust has been awarded three stars.
Ms Walker explained that a number of complex factors have contributed to London's poor performance: "London has to deal with a mobile and mixed population which, combined with issues such as MMR vaccination and smoking cessation targets, have led to a cause for concern." The commission will be looking more closely into the reasons why primary care trusts in the capital have underachieved to work out ways of improving their performance, she added.
Mental health trusts too failed to show the same level of improvement as some other organisations. More than a third still have one star or less, and only 15 out of 83 trusts were awarded the maximum three stars.
Professor Ian Kennedy, chairman of the commission, said: "The information which the NHS collects about the care of people who use mental health services is simply not good enough. It must be improved to ensure the better care of patients."(Zosia Kmietowicz)
Credit: ULRIKE PREUSS
Four foundation hospital trusts have been graded down to two stars in this year's round of annual performance indicators from the healthcare watchdog, throwing into question their future as independent operators.
Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust, Addenbrooke's NHS Trust, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust, and Papworth Hospital NHS Trust could face being stripped of their foundation status if they fail to satisfy demands from the independent regulator of NHS foundation trusts to explain the reasons for their demotion by 3 August.
Three of the fours trusts failed to achieve three stars, the standard required to opt for foundation status, on grounds of financial management. If they are found to be in breach of the terms of authorisation set by the regulator, action could be taken against them, said a spokes-person for the regulator.
Overall the star ratings for 2003-4 show that the NHS is improving in most areas. Acute and specialist trusts, which have been rated for the fourth year in a row and longer than any other organisation, performed particularly well. Nearly half (43%) achieved three stars and 78% achieved two or three stars, even though targets, such as waiting times, have become tougher.
Anna Walker, chief executive of the Healthcare Commission, which published the star ratings for the first time this year, said: "There is clearly an improving NHS. There are tougher targets and these are being reached by more trusts, which shows that this system can help drive improvement."
Primary care trusts have also been improving in general. Three quarters of them now boast two or three stars, compared with less than two thirds last year. But primary care trusts in London continue to perform badly compared with those in the rest of the country. Only 39% have three or two stars, compared with 86% of such trusts in northern England. And no London primary care trust has been awarded three stars.
Ms Walker explained that a number of complex factors have contributed to London's poor performance: "London has to deal with a mobile and mixed population which, combined with issues such as MMR vaccination and smoking cessation targets, have led to a cause for concern." The commission will be looking more closely into the reasons why primary care trusts in the capital have underachieved to work out ways of improving their performance, she added.
Mental health trusts too failed to show the same level of improvement as some other organisations. More than a third still have one star or less, and only 15 out of 83 trusts were awarded the maximum three stars.
Professor Ian Kennedy, chairman of the commission, said: "The information which the NHS collects about the care of people who use mental health services is simply not good enough. It must be improved to ensure the better care of patients."(Zosia Kmietowicz)