In the age of financial cuts it seems that we are constantly hearing about businesses and institutions falling short. However, for residents of Brighton and Hove there is at last some good news.
Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust has soared out of financial special measures. The trust is responsible for Brighton’s Royal Sussex Hospital and Haywards Heath’s Princess Royal Hospital, and saved £13 million since the 2017 financial year.
The trust’s chief executive, Melanie Griffiths, spoke of the their financial achievements:
“We now have control over our finances.”
Griffiths also praised the trust’s ability to do so without compromising their quality: “we have achieved this without taking our eye off the goal of delivering excellent patient care.”
However, with a deficit of £55 million expected for 2018/19, there is still work to do: “We still have a distance to go in achieving a balanced budget.”
Despite Griffith’s pride in the trust’s achievement, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will not be taking the trust out of special measures for its quality of care.
This is partially due to the case of Joan Blaber. The 85-year-old died after ingesting cleaning fluid, sparking concerns for the standards of patient care.
Griffiths is adamant that they can make further improvements though:Â “High quality patient care and strong financial management go hand in hand, and I have no doubt that we will continue to improve on both aspects of life at the trust.”
