Mixed results for NHS trusts in England in latest health check
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust
was rated excellent for use of resources |
Poor performing NHS trusts in England have been challenged to close the gap between themselves and top performers by Anna
Walker, chief executive of the Healthcare Commission.
The results of the commission’s second annual
health check were
released recently, and show that the NHS is getting better but still
has room for improvement. All trusts in England were assessed on their
use of resources and quality of services, and given a rating of excellent,
good, fair or weak.
The results for acute and specialist hospital trusts show an increase
in the number of trusts gaining excellent ratings for quality of care — 33
compared with last year’s 12. However the number of trusts achieving
fair or weak ratings remained similar (76 compared with 79). Hospital
trusts showed a greater improvement in their use of resources — this
year 49 per cent of trusts scored good or excellent compared with 30
per cent last year.
Of the 48 trusts that were rated excellent for use of resources, the
only one not to hold foundation status was Norfolk and Norwich University
Hospital NHS Trust. Carol Farrow, chief pharmacist at the trust, told
Hospital Pharmacist that the pharmacy department was keen to seize opportunities
wherever possible to improve patient flow through the hospital.
“We
are proactive in modifying our service whenever we see an opportunity
to expedite discharge,” she said. “Even if these measures
do not create a direct cost saving, by getting patients out of hospital
faster, new patients can be admitted faster and we can make better use
of our resources.” |
Hospital
Pharmacist