Local MP Stephen Metcalfe,
and Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt MP, rose on the floor of the
House of Commons recently to praise Basildon Hospital for the progress it has
made since it was placed into special measures.
The chief inspector and Monitor have confirmed that Basildon
and Thurrock NHS Foundation Trust can leave special measures with no further
support. Both Mr Metcalfe and Mr Hunt highlighted the inspired leadership of
Chief Executive, Clare Panniker, who has overseen this process.
In addition to employing an additional 241 nurses, the hospital has now
received a ‘good’ rating with its maternity unit the first in the country to be
rated “outstanding”.
The Secretary of State joined Mr Metcalfe in congratulating the
management team and all staff at Basildon Hospital who have worked hard to turn the hospital around
and confirmed that the Government will continue to support the hospital as it
strives to make further improvements.
He also
suggested that people will want know why it is that when there was a CQC report
under the previous Government, it was sat on for six months and nothing was
done.
Mr Metcalfe
commented: “Unlike the previous Government, this Government has faced up to the
issues at Basildon Hospital and tackled them head on. The results speak for
themselves. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of staff at every level at
the Hospital, we have seen substantial positive change and I have every
confidence that this will continue.”
