General surgery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King’s Lynn will now operate under mandated leadership from the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital following an external review by the Royal College of Surgeons.
The review examined 17 general surgery cases after concerns were raised and identified areas where standards of care needed to be improved, including the timely recognition of post-operative complications and aspects of surgical practice.
The report also pointed to longer-standing challenges within the department, such as the need to strengthen clinical governance, communication and teamwork, and to improve working relationships among senior staff.
In response, the trust has apologised to affected patients and confirmed that new governance and leadership arrangements are now in place, as part of its inclusion in the Norfolk and Waveney Hospital Group, with the aim of stabilising services and driving improvements in patient care.
James Wild MP said:
“Patient safety and high quality care must be the priority for the NHS, and this review raises serious concerns about patients not receiving the care they should have at QEH in a significant number of cases.“The trust has rightly apologised for these failings and accepted the need for change. Those involved should be held accountable, with clear action taken to drive improvements and ensure these problems are not repeated.
“While new governance arrangements have been put in place, it is essential that the trust can demonstrate sustained improvement in general surgery performance and rebuild confidence among patients and staff.”
