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Top NHS managers 'to rescue failing hospitals' Top NHS managers 'to rescue failing hospitals'
(about 2 hours later)
Managers from top-performing NHS hospitals are to be sent into failing ones in England to try to improve them.Managers from top-performing NHS hospitals are to be sent into failing ones in England to try to improve them.
Bonus payments will be available to trusts if their managers and senior doctors raise standards at failing sites, in a move that has echoes of the "super-heads" scheme for schools. Bonus payments will be available to trusts if standards are raised at failing sites, in a move that echoes the "super-heads" scheme for schools.
Eleven trusts were put in special measures in July following a review into trusts with high death rates. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said there were a "handful of inspirational leaders" who were "anxious to help".
Labour said what the hospitals needed was more nurses on the ground.Labour said what the hospitals needed was more nurses on the ground.
Eleven trusts were put in special measures in July following a review into trusts with high death rates.
Ministers will set out later how those 11 trusts will be twinned with more successful hospitals.Ministers will set out later how those 11 trusts will be twinned with more successful hospitals.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is expected to contrast this approach with the use of management consultants that has been favoured in the past. Mr Hunt said that management consultants had been favoured in the past, but they had only identified problems - rather than solving them.
He will say that getting the right leaders in for the "long haul" and to do the "hard graft" gives these hospitals the best chance of real change. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The problem is making actual changes on the ground.
"With the help of inspiring NHS leaders and their teams from our leading hospitals, I am confident that we can get these hospitals out of special measures and on the road to recovery," he is expected to say later. "Attracting the right leaders would give these hospitals the best chance of real change."
He went on: "Generally, successful hospitals attract good people and we are looking to find a way to get these good people to other hospitals."
These managers' posts would be back-filled, he said, adding: "These people are anxious to help us turn around these failing hospitals, they want to play their part".
The 11 trusts were placed in special measures after a review by NHS medical director Prof Sir Bruce Keogh.The 11 trusts were placed in special measures after a review by NHS medical director Prof Sir Bruce Keogh.
Prof Chris Ham, chief executive of the King's Fund think tank, said: "Bringing in experienced NHS managers has huge potential as long as they are given enough time to bring about change and have enough resources, and, crucially, their own hospitals are able to have the right leadership while their focus is elsewhere."Prof Chris Ham, chief executive of the King's Fund think tank, said: "Bringing in experienced NHS managers has huge potential as long as they are given enough time to bring about change and have enough resources, and, crucially, their own hospitals are able to have the right leadership while their focus is elsewhere."
'Management solution''Management solution'
He added previous attempts to use the skills of managers at successful trusts had led to performance at those organisations being dragged down as hospitals were "much more complex than schools". He added that previous attempts to use the skills of managers at successful trusts had led to performance at those organisations being dragged down as hospitals were "much more complex than schools".
Shadow health minister Jamie Reed said: "This is a management solution, not a front-line solution.Shadow health minister Jamie Reed said: "This is a management solution, not a front-line solution.
"What Keogh revealed was that many of these trusts have lost staff in recent years and what they need is more nurses on the ground.""What Keogh revealed was that many of these trusts have lost staff in recent years and what they need is more nurses on the ground."
Mr Hunt agreed that understaffing was "one of the problems" in these hospitals. However, he insisted: "It's not just that, it's about leadership, culture, training... To get that right you need to have the right people leading the hospital."
Sir Bruce was asked to look at standards of care at the 14 trusts with the worst death rates, following the Stafford Hospital scandal.Sir Bruce was asked to look at standards of care at the 14 trusts with the worst death rates, following the Stafford Hospital scandal.
Among the problems identified were:Among the problems identified were:
But Sir Bruce said while the failings were significant they had found nothing on the scale of the Stafford Hospital, where hundreds suffered neglect and abuse.But Sir Bruce said while the failings were significant they had found nothing on the scale of the Stafford Hospital, where hundreds suffered neglect and abuse.
The 11 trusts in special measures are:The 11 trusts in special measures are: