Investigations into hospital finances widened after some patients wait too long in A&E
Two investigations into the finances at hospitals in the North West of England are being widened because some patients are waiting too long in A&E.
Monitor, the health sector regulator, will now look into how well the trusts are run as well as scrutinising their finances. The trusts involved are:
- Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
The trusts, which serve patients in the Warrington, Halton and Wirral areas, have both repeatedly failed to meet the national targets for seeing 95% of patients in Accident and Emergency within 4 hours.
The regulator believes that local partners, such as commissioners and other NHS organisations, have a significant role to play in improving urgent care across the area and that the trusts may not be able to solve these problems alone.
Paul Chandler, Regional Director at Monitor, said:
We have decided to widen our investigations because some patients are waiting too long in A&E.
We now need to understand what the trusts have done, and are planning, to improve A&E performance and how they will work with local partners to achieve this.
No decision has been taken in respect of either investigation, but Monitor will announce the outcome of each in due course.