North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust
| Type of Trust | |
|---|---|
| NHS hospital trust | |
| Trust Details | |
| Last annual budget | |
| Employees | |
| Chair | Ian Gordon |
| Chief Executive | Ann Farrar |
| Links | |
| Website | North Cumbria University Hospitals |
| Care Quality Commission reports | CQC |
North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust was created in April 2001 by merging Carlisle Hospitals NHS Trust and West Cumbria Healthcare NHS Trust. It runs Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, Cumbria, Penrith Hospital and West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, England. In January 2012, the Trust decided that its preferred future was as part of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
The Trust's financial problems are longstanding and associated with the move of services out of hospital closer to patients' homes and the difficulties of delivering services in a large rural area. The Trust predicts a deficit of £22.8m in 2013-14. In May 2014 it was reported that the Trust had been forced to get a loan in order to pay its debts. According to its loan application, only 19.5 per cent of the trust’s non-NHS suppliers had been paid on time at the end of January, against a target of 95 per cent.
It spent 7.3% of its total turnover on agency staff in 2014/5.
The Trust was placed in special measures as a result of Sir Bruce Keogh's review of hospital mortality. In October 2013 the Trust was put into the highest risk category by the Care Quality Commission.
In December 2013 the Trust was one of thirteen hospital trusts named by Dr Foster Intelligence as having higher than expected higher mortality indicator scores for the period April 2012 to March 2013 in their Hospital Guide 2013. It was put into a buddying arrangement with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
In February 2014 it was reported that the trust board had lost confidence in the maintenance and estates services provided to the Cumberland Infirmary through Health Management Carlisle under the PFI contract after a probe uncovered “major issues” with the way its operating theatres, water systems and gas pipelines were being maintained.
In March 2014 it became apparent that the Trust was struggling to retain clinical staff, when three consultants resigned, and as a result junior doctors were removed because there was a lack of consultant supervision. There was a 25 per cent vacancy rate in consultant posts, the equivalent of 50 people, meaning the trust is relying heavily on locums. Nursing gaps at the hospital were said to be so serious they needed daily monitoring.
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