PREVIOUS leadership teams were “moving too slowly” to correct serious problems at Colchester General Hospital, according to MP Will Quince.

The MP said although previous bosses “may have been doing the right thing, they were doing it too slowly”.

He also expressed sympathy with former chief executives Dr Lucy Moore and Frank Sims as well as previous chairs of governors Peter Wilson and Alan Rose, adding: “As they were effectively addressing things, other issues were coming up almost just as quickly.”

He added: “It is a huge organisation and that is certainly part of the challenge but up until now, there has never been a person in a senior post who has experience in bringing a hospital out of special measures.

“Nick Hulme is in there now and he has that experience and his reaction has been refreshing.

“He has apologised, said ‘this is not good enough and we’re going to make it better.”

He added: “Unfortunately I have to admit I am not surprised there is another bad CQC report.”

Mr Quince also said if the trust continues to fail, the only option remaining is to impose trust special administration, which would see Department of Health officials taking over the hospital.

North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin added: “The solutions to this situation are long-term and it’s about the relationship between Colchester and Ipswich and the implementation of a completely new leadership group.

“Meanwhile, this report is another wake up call that these issues must be addressed now.”

Dr Tom Nutt, Chief Executive of Healthwatch Essex, said: “It’s disappointing to see a further critical CQC report about Colchester Hospital.

“What makes this report particularly striking is that it highlights recurrent issues at the hospital, and shows the negative impact that these issues are having on patients.

“Problems with equipment, processes and data have all been shown to be making a difference to the quality of care patients are receiving, and that will obviously be a concern for people in north east Essex.

“The statement released by the new chief executive highlights a clear recognition of the scale of the problems, and it is at least reassuring that he is under no illusions about the scope of change required.

“Healthwatch Essex will continue to work with the Trust, not least building on our research into hospital discharge.

“What is vital is that all at Colchester Hospital – as well as local stakeholders and partners – work relentlessly to put patients at the heart of care in Colchester.”

Former Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell said CQC criticism should be directed at re-appointed Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt after he had praised the leadership in February last year,

The town’s High Steward said: “If everything was going well 17 months ago – that was the verdict of Mr Hunt – why are things seemingly worse now than then?

“All this has happened on Mr Hunt’s watch. The blame culture by the CQC should not be directed at the hospital, but rather at the Secretary of State for Health for his woeful stewardship.”

He added: “So what has gone wrong? If the Secretary of State for Health, 17 months ago, said Colchester Hospital was on the right track and he had confidence in the trust’s leadership, why were they removed?

“Mr Hunt needs to explain himself.”

And so do the people from the Care Quality Commission, who presumably in February last year would have briefed Mr Hunt ahead of his visit to Colchester.”

Sir Bob pointed out that Mr Hunt made a second visit to Colchester Hospital in April last year, during the General Election, and had promised to support Colchester’s hospitals if he remained as Secretary of State for Health. He promised that extra funding would be given to Colchester.

Of the new leadership in Colchester – the Chief Executive and Chairman of Ipswich Hospital Trust taking over – Sir Bob repeated what he said during the public question time session at a meeting of the Colchester Hospital Trust in May this year. He said this represented a “takeover” by Ipswich rather than “a merger, collaboration or partnership.”

Sir Bob also told the meeting that the Trust’s leadership had not been sufficiently vocal in supporting staff, both medical and support, who he felt had been let down. He urged the Trust to speak out in support of their loyal and hardworking staff who had been failed both by Mr Hunt and the Trust’s leadership.

Today Sir Bob repeated his support for the staff - and repeated his criticism of both Mr Hunt and the Care Quality Commission.

Sir Bob quoted what Mr Hunt had told the Gazette when he visited Colchester Hospital in February last year: “There is a terrific new leadership in place and they are doing everything they possibly can to turn the hospital around and get out of special measures.”

Mr Hunt had added: “I am encouraged by the work being done by the leadership here in Colchester.”