The Care Quality Commission reviewed East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust in November 2025 after safety concerns at Colchester and Ipswich hospitals.
Inspectors rated the trust’s leadership “requires improvement”, citing weak oversight, decision-making and delivery of its priorities.
ESNEFT accepted the findings but stressed the inspection was carried out almost a year ago and its leadership has since changed significantly.
Chief executive Paul Scott and trust chair Tracy Dowling said: “We accept and recognise the findings of the CQC’s well-led assessment and the opportunities it highlights for us, as a new leadership team, to continue improving.”
The trust serves nearly one million people through two main hospitals, six community hospitals and health services across east Suffolk and north Essex.
Sarah Ivory Donnelly, the CQC’s deputy director of hospitals in the East of England, said leaders understood the problems but had not always acted fast enough.
She said: “We issued warning notices at both Colchester and Ipswich after identifying significant risks to people’s safety.
“Leaders knew about these issues, but the actions they’d taken hadn’t gone far enough to reduce the risk of avoidable harm to the people in their care.”
Patients’ basic needs, including food and fluids, were not always monitored properly, while mental health support was delayed in A&E.
Inspectors also found a gap between ESNEFT’s ambitions and its day-to-day performance, but praised its partnerships, environmental work and vision.
Mr Scott and Ms Dowling said a new chief executive of ESNEFT had been appointed, alongside a new chair and director of governance, since the inspection.
They said: “We have already acted on several of the issues raised during the assessment, and more improvements are underway.
“We now remain focused on strengthening governance, supporting an open and inclusive culture, and continually improving our services.”
The trust said it would work with patients, communities and staff to shape its future culture, behaviour and values.
A later inspection found that Ipswich Hospital was judged to require improvement after patients waited up to 20 hours for treatment.