Improvement work earns 'good' rating for Telford NHS services group

NHS England has published annual assurance ratings for all of the 209 CCGs across the country, including Telford & Wrekin, which was rated as 'good'.

Bosses said that it was due to the work taken to continue to improve performance against key targets.

The ratings measure the performance of CCGs in a number of key areas, including their leadership, financial management and performance. This year Telford & Wrekin CCG was also rated for their performance in two clinical areas – strong cancer waiting times performance and delivery of the improving access to psychological therapies recovery times.

Dr Jo Leahy Chair of Telford & Wrekin CCG, said: “We are very pleased to have achieved good status and recognised nationally as one of the CCGs that are performing well.

"By being recognised as 'good', we can demonstrate that we have continued to build on the work we are doing.

“The challenges within the NHS are well known, and we are committed to working with partners to continue to find new ways of working that deliver the best services for our patients.

"I am especially pleased that our work in improving cancer waiting times has been recognised. This has been a priority for us, with our GPs and staff working together to achieve these goals.

“I would like to take this opportunity thank all of our staff, GPs and partners who have worked hard over the past year. We are proud to have been recognised nationally as one of the CCGs that are performing well."

Telford & Wrekin CCG is one of two within the county border looking after healthcare.

Shropshire CCG, which controls NHS care within the county council boundaries, has been was placed in special measures in November 2015 so it could receive extra help from NHS England to address its financial problems.

Since then NHS England has been working with Shropshire CCG to strengthen its governance and leadership, and to address its financial deficit.

In 2015/16 the trust ended the year with an in-year deficit of £14.75 million and carried forward a recurrent deficit of £20.2 million.

The trust ended this financial year with a total debt of £33 million.

But a meeting earlier this month heard the group was now "stabilising" after a turbulent year.

Shropshire CCG chairman Julian Povey told a meeting: "We have been recommended by NHS England to come out of special measures due to our executive team being complete and also our new financial plan."