Wexham Park Hospital hailed for improved services

NHS Improvement chief executive Jim Mackey has praised staff at Wexham Park Hospital for making significant improvements to their services.

Previously criticised as one of the most troubled hospitals in England, it has turned around its healthcare services and was commended by Mike Richards, independent chief inspector of hospitals, as ‘the most impressive example of improvement’.

In an inspection report published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the hospital was rated as ‘good’ overall and ‘outstanding’ for critical care and emergency services. During the merge between Wexham Park and Heatherwood, the hospital was put in special measures. Following the rating, Monitor advised it could benefit from leadership of its neighbouring trust, the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Commenting on the hospital’s improvement measures, Mackey said: “This is a great example of hard work by the staff at both trusts and an innovative approach to fixing deep-rooted problems within a very challenged trust. It should serve as an example to other challenged parts of the NHS that, no matter how tough challenges seem, things can be turned around. I congratulate the leadership of the trust who have made real improvements for patients.

“In just over a year, the leadership and staff have turned this hospital from one which gave great cause for concern to one which local people can really be proud of.”