Milestone as SaTH Exits Special Measures After Sustained Improvement

News from our partners at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust:

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) has exited special measures after demonstrating substantial and sustained improvement – a significant milestone on its improvement journey.

The Trust has been in special measures since November 2018, most recently being involved in the Recovery Support Programme (RSP).

It follows a review by NHS England (NHSE), which recognised the Trust has delivered significant, sustained and demonstrable improvements including in finance, performance and governance. The RSP, working with NHSE, provides intensive support and oversight.

In the last 18 months the Trust, which runs the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, has made strong progress and established solid foundations for further, sustainable improvement.

• Moved up to 96 out of 134 in the national league tables (National Oversight Framework, NOF)
• Most improved Trust nationally for elective recovery (18-week referral to treatment)
• Ranked second for cancer 28-day Faster Diagnosis Standard and continuing to see steady improvement in 62-day cancer referral to treatment waiting times
• Strongest performance for five years for diagnostics
• Sustainable progress made in Maternity and Neonatal services, and on track to exit the Maternity Safety Support Programme (MSSP)
• Improved financial performance; on track to deliver a Cost Improvement Programme (CIP) of £41m, the highest to date, and making a substantial reduction in agency expenditure. Overall, on track to achieve a 50% deficit reduction since 2023/24 and deliver value for patients and taxpayers
• Secured University Trust status, recognising the Trust’s focus on research, education and training.

There is still much more to do and the Trust has plans in place for continued improvement across the organisation, including delivery of the Hospitals Transformation Programme by 2028.

Jo Williams, Group Chief Executive said: “This is a significant milestone on our improvement journey, and I am incredibly proud of our staff for their hard work and dedication. They have and continue to put our patients at the heart of our work to transform care and improve health outcomes.

“This is not the end of our improvement journey. We know that we have much more still to do, particularly in urgent and emergency care, but we are making tangible progress and we are pleased this has been recognised by NHS England and partners. We will continue to listen, reflect and learn so we are always improving.”

Andrew Morgan, Group Chair, said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to our staff for their commitment, and to our partners who have supported us to make this happen.

“This is a pivotal moment for the Trust which has made great strides in the last 18 months to demonstrate consistent progress and stability, and I hope it gives our communities greater confidence that we are improving.

“We have more to do and we will not be complacent. We will move forward with purpose and commitment to sustain progress and deliver our strategic ambition of providing excellent care for our patients and be a great place to work for our staff.”

Simon Whitehouse, Chief Executive Officer of the Integrated Care Board (ICB) Cluster for NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, said: “Exiting special measures is a significant milestone in the Trust’s improvement journey and a testament to the substantial, sustained progress delivered by colleagues across the Trust.

“My thanks to the Trust Board, staff, partners and our local communities for their commitment and support throughout this period. As Andrew and Jo have both stated, we will not be complacent: our focus now is to consolidate these gains, further improve access and quality, and deliver safe, compassionate care every day.

“This follows NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin exiting special measures last year and now means that no local NHS organisation is in the highest level of national oversight – a major step forward for our health system.”

Dr Jess Sokolov, Regional Medical Director NHSE Midlands, said: “NHS England has closely supported The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust over many years, and we are delighted that it has met this important milestone. The Trust would not have been able to deliver such significant improvements without the vision of their new leadership as well as the perseverance, dedication and hard work of staff.

“Whilst there is more to do to continue their improvement journey, the Trust has made clear progress, and we hope that all their employees are proud of the achievements they have made for local patients.”

Lynn Cawley, Chief Officer Healthwatch Shropshire, said: “This is great news for the people of Shropshire. The improvements made by The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust as they come out of special measures reflect the hard work and dedication of the staff across our main hospitals.

“It’s encouraging to see that feedback from patients and the public, including through Healthwatch Shropshire, has played an important role in driving these improvements. Long may the independent voice of local people remain at the heart of improvements to our NHS in Shropshire.”

Jan Suckling, Chief Officer Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin, said: “We welcome the news that The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has exited special measures. This milestone reflects the sustained efforts of staff and leadership to improve services for local people.

“It is particularly encouraging to see improvements in areas that matter most to patients, including waiting times, diagnostics, and cancer care. We also welcome the Trust’s continued commitment to listening to patient feedback.

“We know there is more work to do, especially in urgent and emergency care, but this marks an important step forward. Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin will continue to represent the voices of local people to help ensure improvements are embedded and sustained for our communities.”