EXCLUSIVE

THE Isle of Wight NHS Trust has been placed in special measures, the County Press believes.

The trust has been allocated an improvement director to help it deal with its problems, indicating it has been placed in special measures. 

Hospital trusts are placed in special measures by NHS Improvement (NHSI) when there are serious concerns around the quality of care being provided.& amp;lt;/p>

Philippa Slinger, an experienced NHS chief executive, has been appointed as the trust's new improvement director — something believed to only happen when a trust has been placed in special measures — and will work alongside the current chief executive and board members from today (Monday).

The trust, which runs St Mary's Hospital and other health services, would not confirm if it had been placed in special measures, but Eve Richardson, trust chairman, wrote to staff on Friday to inform them of Philippa's new role.

NHSI often reviews the management team in charge of the hospital in question and can make changes in order to get quick results.

Conditions were imposed on the Isle of Wight trust after a Care Quality Commission inspection at the end of last year, and bosses were told to make urgent improvements to the Island's mental health services after serious issues were discovered. 

 An Isle of Wight NHS Trust spokesperson said: "The Isle of Wight NHS Trust can confirm that it has received a draft report from the Care Quality Commission for factual accuracy checking.

"Until the final report is released by the CQC, it would not be appropriate for the trust to respond or make any comment relating to the reports content or recommend outcomes."

Reporter: joannah@iwcpmail.co.uk