Following an inspection in May this year, a report published by the Care Quality Commission today has rated leadership at the Mid and South Essex NHS Trust as inadequate – the lowest possible rating.
The trust provides care for 1.2 million people and employs 16,800 staff at Southend, Broomfield and Basildon hospitals.
The CQC found “serious and systemic failures” in leadership and organisational culture that it said were putting patients at risk and leaving staff feeling “unsupported and undervalued”.
Trust chief executive Dawn Scrafield has apologised in the wake of the report and insisted improvements are already being made.
Hazel Roberts, CQC deputy director of operations in the East of England, said: “During our well-led inspection of Mid and South Essex NHS Trust, we found serious and systemic failures in leadership and organisational culture that were putting people at risk and leaving staff feeling unsupported and undervalued.
“Leaders were aware of many of the challenges they faced but were unable to demonstrate how services would improve at the pace and scale required.
“Despite numerous improvement programmes, we found persistent quality and safety failures that led to enforcement action in maternity, children and young people, and urgent and emergency care services.
“Staff across all three hospital sites told us they felt disconnected from senior leaders, undervalued, and unable to raise concerns without fear.”
The inspection found widespread issues, including delays in mandatory reviews of patient deaths, confusion over leadership responsibilities, and low staff morale.
The trust also performed poorly in national standards for ambulance handovers and cancer waiting times, and lacked a formal leadership strategy or effective appraisal system.
In response, chief executive Dawn Scrafield said: “We are deeply sorry for having failed our patients and staff.
“We know that they deserve better from us.
“We fully accept the findings of the report and are committed to bringing about the improvements needed as quickly and sustainably as possible.”
“We have begun to make the changes needed with a detailed improvement plan supported by a new organisational structure which will simplify the way in which we operate to clarify roles and accountabilities.
“Our new operating model will strengthen clinical leadership across the Trust and equip our hospitals to deliver high quality care.”