Lorely Burt MP Expresses Concerns over Foundation Trust with Chief Executive of Care Quality Commission
February 9, 2010 6:00 PM
Solihull MP Lorely Burt held urgent talks this morning with health watchdogs the Care Quality Commission over the future of the Heart of England Foundation Trust.
The meeting came in the wake of the Trust's decision to downgrade Solihull Hospital's maternity services without public consultation and its repeated failure to meet targets for A&E waiting times.
Mrs Burt told CQC chief executive Cynthia Bower she was deeply concerned that the national regulator Monitor had placed the Trust on 'red alert' over its "significant breach" of A&E targets. She had already contacted health minister Andy Burnham over the maternity downgrade.
After the meeting, she said: "It is essential that external watchdogs ensure that the Trust is fulfilling the best possible standards of care and quality."
There had been further worrying revelations at last week's meeting of Solihull Council's scrutiny committee, Mrs Burt added. "I was deeply disturbed to learn that out of the average 2,700 deliveries at Solihull Hospital each year, only 300 fulfilled the safety criteria for a maternity-led service. Downgrading clearly removes a very important element of service to women in Solihull, and is totally unacceptable."
A cross-party motion laid before tonight's meeting of the full council condemns the Trust's decision to reduce maternity services ahead of a promised public consultation" and demands the move be reversed.
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