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Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust ditches foundation status bid

The trust that runs Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital has ditched its bid to become a Foundation Trust.

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The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, which also runs Cannock Chase Hospital, had previously stated its intention to become a Foundation Trust, but had had to postpone the application a number of times.

But now it has emerged that the trust will no longer be making an application at all.

The news has come to light after the trust was ordered to improve following its latest inspection by the Care Quality Commission.

However, hospital bosses have said that the decision was not taken in light of the latest CQC report, but a decision was made in March.

Foundation hospital status gives hospitals greater control of their affairs and funding.

Chief executive David Loughton

Trust chief executive David Loughton said: "We have just taken over half the first failed Foundation Trust in the country and to be quite honest we have got too much going on to pursue Foundation Trust status at the moment.

"It doesn't change anything.

"The bottom line to it is in the last two years with what we had to do at Stafford we just couldn't take anything more on."

In 2012 health care regulator Monitor decided last year to defer the trust's bid for foundation trust status after a report by the CQC found essential standards were not being met.

The 2012 CQC report criticised the hospital's surgical procedures checklist and number of 'never' events which are problems in patient safety that should have been prevented.

Earlier this month, the Care Quality Commission said The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust 'requires improvement' following an inspection in June.

Mr Loughton said he was 'disappointed' with the rating and that an action plan had been put in place.

Following the report hospital bosses and other bodies held a meeting with CQC representatives and the trust said it was now considering its options.

The trust has not yet confirmed if it will be appealing the rating.

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