Call for hospital trust leadership review rejected

Reports of a deterioration in services and staff morale were denied by bosses

A call for a full leadership review at Teesside's two hospital trusts has been rejected by NHS England.

It follows the regulatory body's 2022 probe into attempts to find a new CEO to lead both South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust (NTH).

A subsequent report spawned a lengthy legal battle to get a number of redactions removed, with some claiming the resulting new information warranted a change at the top.

However, an NHS England spokesperson has said University Hospitals Tees - a strategic alliance since formed by the two trusts - is "in the best interests of patients and services".

In a letter sent to Health Secretary Wes Streeting earlier this year, former Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham and ex-NTH chief executive Julie Gillon also criticised an ensuing "deterioration of services and staff morale".

Signed by other former non-executive directors from NTH, it said that the trust had been "one of the best performers in the country - but sadly no more".

"The recent national staff survey paints a disappointing picture of worsening morale, and performance data suggests that improvement has stalled or declined."

NHS England said there is "greater co-operation" between the Teeside trusts

But University Hospital Tees CEO Stacey Hunter disputed the claim services had deteriorated at NTH and said its urgent and emergency care was ranked among the best in the region.

"In common with all trusts across England, NTH is making good progress on reducing waiting times, as we continue our elective recovery from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic," she said.

"The NHS staff survey saw us score highly in staff morale, staff engagement, compassion and inclusivity.

"We value the fact that colleagues make their voices heard.

"Their openness and honesty helps us to make the right changes to how our group operates."

A regional spokesman for NHS England, which had prompted the trusts' changes and is responsible for managing the NHS in England, said: "Greater co-operation between North and South Tees is in the best interests of patients and supports the sustainability and safety of services.

"It is being progressed through good local leadership."