Patients being treated by the Sperrin Lakeland Trust are still at risk, although significant progress has been made since major deficiencies were highlighted over a year ago, according to a new report.
A special review team that carried out a comprehensive risk and governance review of services at Tyrone County Hospital in Omagh and Enniskillen Hospital, which are run by the trust, yesterday pointed to improvements, as well as continuing risks for patients.
The trust, which provides health services to a population of over 120,000 in Tyrone and Fermanagh, was found last year to be seriously deficient in anaesthetic and critical-care services. Its chief executive, Hugh Mills, resigned his post in May 2005 as a result of the management shortcomings that were exposed at that time.
The trust was initially found to have "weak and constraining leadership, the absence of robust clinical and social care governance arrangements, no systematic processes to manage risk, a lack of managerial clarity, capacity and capability, a series of significant clinical incidents that had not been addressed, unsafe practices and a committed workforce that had generally received little or no investment in their development".
Since then, a number of reviews and reports were conducted to detail how services for patients could be improved. The review team found that "as a consequence of addressing long-standing issues of neglect, over the last 15 months the trust and the local public have experienced significant change, turmoil and insecurity".
More positively, the team found after these reviews that the trust now had the "building blocks of stronger leadership" to improve services for patients and staff.
"It has been a steep learning curve for all individuals involved," the report said.
The review said that in relation to acute children's care at Tyrone hospital, there continued to be "significant risks" for children receiving out-of-hours care.
The review team said the trust must ensure that all critical care staff, particularly anaesthetists, are subjected to regular training and development to "deem them competent in providing level two and or [ level] three care to the expected standard".
Health minister Paul Goggins said he would ensure that the recommendations are carried out.
"While there have been real improvements, the report highlights some concerns that continue to affect patient services. I have been assured that the trust, in conjunction with the Western Health and Social Services Board and the department, will ensure the full implementation of all recommendations to improve patients care," he added.
New hospitals are to be built at a cost of nearly £270 million - £175 million for Enniskillen and £95 million in Omagh - at the hospital sites, with work scheduled to start next year. "With the building of two new hospitals in the southwest, there will now be an opportunity to provide modern, high-quality services to the entire population of the area," Mr Goggins said.