Graham Stuart is pressing the Government to explain what additional support it will provide to Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and when, following news that it requires improvement.
Last month, the Trust was placed in Segment 4 of the NHS acute trust league table, the lowest category. It faces significant challenges, including a backlog of elective treatments, long waiting times, and ongoing difficulties in meeting cancer care targets.
On the day the league table was published, Graham met with the interim Group CEO of the Trust, Lyn Simpson, to discuss her plans to improve performance and ensure that residents in Beverley and Holderness receive the high quality care they rightly expect.
Graham welcomed Ms Simpson’s clear ambition for change, including her commitment to fostering a culture of high standards across the Trust. However, she cannot deliver this transformation alone.
To support her efforts, Graham wrote to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting MP, last month. In his letter, he welcomed the Government’s move to publish league tables but stressed that accountability must be accompanied by targeted support for struggling hospitals. He requested a meeting to discuss what assistance Hull Hospitals Trust will receive and the timeline for its delivery. At the time of writing, no response has been received.
Graham raised the issue again in Parliament last week at Health Questions. The Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock MP, was unable to provide an answer. Following this, Graham has written to the Minister requesting a meeting to discuss what more can be done to support Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust on its journey to improvement, and to ensure that patients receive the care they deserve.
Graham Stuart, Member of Parliament for Beverley and Holderness, commented: “People in Beverley and Holderness rightly expect high quality care from their local NHS services. That is why I raised the Trust’s concerning league table position with its CEO on the very day they were published. Local people deserve better, and I’m encouraged by Ms Simpson’s determination to deliver this. But she cannot do it alone. The Trust needs prompt and practical support from the Government. They’ve given the diagnosis, now it’s time to provide the treatment so the Trust can get better and deliver the exceptional care people deserve.”
