Gareth LightfootLocal Democracy Reporting Service
Google
The University Hospital of North Tees was told it needed to recruit more specialist staff as turnover was too high
A hospital’s critical care unit needs £2m of investment in its staff to meet workforce standards, an NHS report says.
University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton was told it needed to recruit more specialist staff as the unit turnover was “one of the highest in the region” and sickness had been rising, mainly due to stress, anxiety and depression.
The University Hospitals Tees group, which covers the North and South Tees NHS Foundation Trusts, was told the preferred option would be £2.1m spent on recruitment and training over three years.
Group chief executive Stacey Hunter said the issues had not been detrimental to patients thanks to the efforts of current staff.
The University Hospitals Tees board meeting was held last week.
Chief nurse Emma Nunez said the North Tees critical care unit, which is funded for 16 beds, was not meeting intensive care standards guidelines.
“I think part of the challenge around retention in these roles is because we haven’t got the skill mix required for the North Tees site,” she said.
“Where staff become skilled in the critical care areas, they then move to a post that is available elsewhere so they can progress because we haven’t got that option within the workforce model for North Tees.”
Money woes
The discussion also touched on the North Tees “estate”, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
The hospital’s crumbling buildings, which were previously branded “not fit for purpose”, were costing hundreds of millions of pounds to maintain, and were said in 2023 to have only eight years’ life left in them.
Group chief executive Stacey Hunter said the estate and environment was “less than optimum” and they were trying to get investment into rebuilding.
Director of estates Steven Turner said a group had developed the first draft of a business case that needed to be reviewed.
He said: “Some will address the estate issues, some of the options will address all of the issues we’ve got.”
However, non-executive director David Redpath said: “We have to find this money from somewhere. That’s what I’m missing.
“Where’s the money coming from? What are we stopping to fund this?”