The new chief executive of London’s only failing NHS trust today called on staff to confront colleagues if they saw examples of poor care.
Matthew Hopkins insisted the problems at Barking, Havering and Redbridge Trust were “fixable” but said it could take three to five years to bring all services up to scratch and eradicate a £38 million debt.
Last December the trust was placed in special measures by the Care Quality Commission after being found to be providing “unsafe care” in its accident and emergency departments at Queen’s hospital in Romford and King George’s in Ilford.
Mr Hopkins, a former cancer nurse , was previously chief executive of Epsom and St Helier NHS trust.
Speaking to the Standard four weeks into his new role, he said it was important for staff to remember that many patients were in hospital “in their greatest hour of need”.
He said: “I’m encouraging our staff to really challenge themselves that they are providing the kind of care they would wish to see for their elderly parents or young children, but also to challenge colleagues where they see the values and behaviours of the organisation not being fulfilled.
“In situations where you witness a colleague perhaps not communicating in a caring and compassionate way, they need to be challenged. Only by doing that, there and then, do you build the sort of culture that is really patient-focused.” Last December, a film by Saleyha Ahsan, a junior doctor at Queen’s — the busiest A&E in the country — described it as being like a “war zone”.
Mr Hopkins hadn’t seen the film but was aware of the need to recruit more A&E consultants and junior doctors. At present, just over half the 21 A&E consultant posts are filled. Mr Hopkins vowed to be open about the trust’s failings but also to shout about successes, such as in maternity care.
“It’s a challenging role but one I’m really excited about,” he said.
“We want everybody to bask in the sunshine of being able to resolve the challenges, but that will require us all to work together.”
