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Monitor, the health sector regulator has put Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust into special measures to ensure all its patients receive good quality care. A formal investigation by Monitor found that the trust has breached its licence to provide health services after the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said cancer care at the trust was inadequate.

In this case special measures means:

• Monitor has ordered the trust to put right the patient quality, safety and governance concerns highlighted by the CQC last week
• An Improvement Director will be appointed by Monitor to ensure the trust turns itself around.
• A high performing foundation trust will be asked by the regulator to offer support and expertise in delivering improvements to the cancer pathway
• The trust will publish and regularly update an action plan to enable the public to monitor the progress it makes and hold it to account
• The regulator has also imposed an additional licence condition to make sure the trust has the necessary capability in place to run the trust. If the leadership of the trust fails to act appropriately, this condition allows Monitor to take further action.

In the run-up to the special measures decision, Monitor worked closely with key partners including the CQC and NHS England to ensure immediate steps were taken to safeguard cancer patients in the care of the trust; to commence a review of what has caused the problems identified by the CQC; and to take action to prevent any repetition of the trust's failings. NHS England is working with the trust to conduct a review of the cancer services to assure patients that past practices complied with national standards.

Colchester was part of the Keogh Review into trusts with higher than average mortality rates earlier this year. As a result, Monitor put the trust under enhanced scrutiny, but stopped short of putting it into special measures because the regulator was confident the trust leadership could tackle the issues raised at that stage.

Subsequently a whistleblower came forward and highlighted concerns about the trust’s management of its cancer pathway. After a CQC inspection Sir Mike Richards, the Chief Inspector of Hospitals, recommended that the trust be put into special measures.

Adam Cayley, Regional Director for Monitor said:

"Following the urgent actions already taken to safeguard patients at the trust we have stepped in formally to assure the health and wellbeing of patients using the cancer pathway at Colchester.

"The trust has been given an explicit set of actions to improve the service it offers patients. We will be monitoring progress closely and we will not hesitate to take further regulatory action if required.

"The leadership of the trust will be reviewed as part of our scrutiny of the trust’s governance arrangements and, if necessary, further regulatory action will be taken."

Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards said:

"We welcome Monitor's decision to accept my recommendation to place Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust in special measures. I am pleased that information from CQC's inspection has resulted in the action that is being taken by Monitor to improve services at the trust. CQC will continue to monitor the trust in line with its regulatory responsibilities and this will include further inspections."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• For further information please contact Emma Shepherd emma.shepherd@monitor.gov.uk (020 3747 0125) or press.office@monitor.gov.uk  (020 3747 0800)
• Monitor is the sector regulator of NHS-funded health care services. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 its main duty is to protect and promote the interests of people who use them. Information about Monitor’s role can be found here.
• Follow Monitor on Twitter @MonitorUpdate.