Statement from Joe Fielder, Chair and Matthew Hopkins, Chief Executive:

We can confirm that as of today (Friday 9 February), our regulator, NHS Improvement; has made the decision to place our Trust in special measures for finance as a result of current challenges around the financial position of the organisation.

We reported last year that we were experiencing financial difficulties, which first came to light in the second half of the year when it became clear that our cash flow, and overall financial position, were not as healthy as had been reported.

As a result of the significant deterioration in our forecast, NHSI has decided, in accordance with its usual procedure, that we should be placed in special measures for finance to provide additional support and so they can be assured that we have control of the situation.

There are several reasons for the deterioration in our position, including an absence of thorough oversight, a loss of financial control, and increased demand on our services. All of this combined and has meant that we were not able to secure a large sum of performance-related income.

At the same time, we have been unable to agree the contract with our Commissioners. They are also under severe financial pressure at the moment.

This is not a reflection of the quality of care we provide. Our Trust has made huge improvements across the board, which have been both internally and externally acknowledged by experts from NHS England, NHS Improvement and the Care Quality Commission.

We would like to reassure the public and our patients that all our services remain open, and that we will continue to provide the very best care.

We would like to pay tribute to our hard working and dedicated staff, who continue to do a fantastic job in providing care to our community, and we would like to thank our partners and our patients for their continued support. 

You can see a copy of the Financial Improvement Notice from NHSI  here (PDF).