Portsmouth North MP, Penny Mordaunt says addressing issues at QA Hospital is imperative.

PORTSMOUTH North MP Penny Mordaunt has met with the new chief executive of Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust following a report which said patients at Queen Alexandra Hospital are being put at risk.

The Tory politician said leadership at the trust is key to improvements being made.

The report was published today by the Care Quality Commission after the inspection at the Cosham hospital. Ms Mordaunt said: ‘I spoke to Mark Cubbon yesterday morning regarding the CQC report which highlighted serious failing in care in particular vulnerable patients and was highly critical of the leadership team at the trust. ‘Although the report has just been published, the QA were told the findings earlier this year and have already moved to make some changes. ‘A new leadership team is being recruited and all those posts will be in place in October.

‘Other work has gone on to address the issues in the emergency department and in the acute medical unit as well as their being a major focus on getting patients discharged when they are ready to do so. ‘We also discussed the reliance on temporary staff which has made it harder to get consistently of care being provided.’

Ms Mordaunt added she has suggested a number of things on how she and other MPs can help QA Hospital. ‘I have made a number of offers of how I and our other local MPs could help the QA,’ she said. ‘This included helping focus on other areas of the health economy which could alleviate pressures on the hospital and securing funding for any new initiatives. ‘I also continued to push a solution to hospital discharge which I think would help the QA greatly.

‘In the past when the QA has had serious failings they have been tackled through strong leadership and sticking to a methodical plan. We need to do the same now. ‘Our patients need consistent quality and safe care, and to go home when fit to do so. We must ensure the QA delivers both in short order.’