Hove MP Peter Kyle has written to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) asking for progress meetings after the hospital and ambulance trusts serving his constituents were placed in “special measures”.
The Labour MP was responding to the CQC’s verdict on Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust and the South East Coast Ambulance Service.
Both were rated inadequate – the lowest rating – and placed in special measures which has resulted in outside experts being brought in.
Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals (BSUH), which runs the Royal Sussex County Hospital, has also been placed in financial special measures.
The trust expects to be more than £15 million over budget in the current financial year which ends next March.
At the end of May the worst-case scenario, according to trust board papers, was a year-end deficit of £70 million.
In the past financial year the trust recorded a £45 million deficit, having agreed a target of less than £20 million.
The Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which makes decisions about local health services, was rated inadequate by NHS England.
And two family doctors’ surgeries – The Practice Hangleton Manor and Hove Medical Centre – were rated inadequate by the CQC.
The Hangleton Manor surgery closed in July while Hove Medical Centre was placed in special measures.
The local mental health trust, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Mill View Hospital, in Hove, was rated by the CQC as “requires improvement”. This is one up from inadequate.
The CQC is believed to be carrying out an inspection of at least some of the services provided by Coperforma, the contractor which runs the troubled Sussex Patient Transport Service.
The CQC said: “We are carrying out checks on locations registered by this provider using our new way of inspecting services. We will publish the reports when our checks are complete.”
Mr Kyle said in his letter to the CQC: “I am writing regarding the problems identified in many areas of our health system here in Brighton and Hove.
“I am concerned about East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust and the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust being identified as some of England’s most financially troubled hospitals.
“I therefore have requested that the CQC meet regularly with me to discuss the progress or otherwise of the special measures regimes of all the organisations that the CQC regulates.
“I would like to be able to provide my constituents with a regular progress update.
“Thank you for your help on this. I know you are as keen as I am to see a turnaround in services.”
This evening (Monday 24 October) the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion Caroline Lucas has been chosen to speak in the daily adjournment debate, the last item of Commons business for the day.
The subject is NHS provision in Brighton and Hove and after she has spoken a health minister will respond for the government.
