Polly has welcomed the announcement that East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, which operates QEQM Hospital in Margate and others in East Kent, has been chosen as part of a new NHS initiative aimed at improving struggling organisations. The NHS Recovery Programme focuses on trusts that rank poorly in performance measures, particularly those dealing with long patient waits, ongoing financial strain, and frequent changes in leadership.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced that the programme will begin in April and represents a shift away from uniform solutions, instead offering tailored interventions for each trust. The selected organisations are not considered to be underperforming due to lack of effort, but rather because of deeper structural and financial challenges.
Support measures will include appointing experienced NHS leaders to struggling areas, restructuring organisations where necessary, and investing in infrastructure improvements. The overall aim is to address long-standing issues, raise standards, and ensure better outcomes for patients in the worst-performing parts of the NHS.
Polly said:
“Everyone in East Thanet deserves an NHS that is there when they need it, and neither I nor the Health Secretary will rest until patients see real improvements in waiting times, patient safety, and standards of care at East Kent Hospitals.
“For too long, services in East Kent have fallen short compared to other parts of the country. The decision to place the East Kent Hospital Trust in the NHS Intensive Recovery Programme reflects the scale of the challenge and ensures the Trust will now receive focused, hands-on support to drive improvement. Staff at QEQM and across East Kent have been under intense pressure, and this intervention will give them the backing they need to deliver safe, timely, high-quality care for patients in East Thanet.”