The NHS’s care watchdog has launched an inspection of a troubled trust after The Independent exposed delays in diagnosing and treating dozens of patients, including those with cancer.
The Care Quality Commission has sent inspectors to review care at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, in Greater Manchester, just days after The Independent revealed the trust was facing serious concerns over the safety of its gynaecology services.
The trust launched an audit of the care of hundreds of women at Salford Royal Hospital’s gynaecology services in 2024, prompted by concerns that the necessary follow-ups were not carried out.
It found that dozens of patients, including cancer patients, all under the care of Dr Jim Wolfe, were harmed when their diagnosis and treatment was delayed due to “admin failures”.
Whistleblowers from the hospital’s gynaecology service came forward to The Independent with further concerns that the trust’s leadership was allegedly ignoring safety issues.
At the same time, an unpublished NHS England review of the service from 2024 warned it had a “significant backlog” of more than 2,000 patient letters, including test results and referrals for treatment that hadn’t been sent to GPs as required. This meant some patients’ treatment was delayed by at least five months.
The report also warned the service was “heavily” reliant on agency doctors, and that its ability to provide on-call doctors had been affected by “significant sickness absence and suspension” among its consultants.
Salford MP, Rebecca Long Bailey, told The Independent that staff had been raising concerns to her for months about patient safety and a in the trust in which they do not feel supported or listened to.
The trust was also criticised by the doctors’ union, over an email warning resident doctors they may not get jobs if they take sick leave, which the union deemed an “outrageous attempt to bully sick doctors into work”.
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The report comes after The Independent revealed in November that the trust had been handed a warning notice over its surgical services after a CQC inspection found patients left waiting in pain.
Now, the CQC has returned to inspect gynaecology services and surgery services again after it received fresh safety concerns.
Sources confirmed to The Independent that CQC’s inspectors have spoken directly to staff about their concerns.
In a statement to The Independent, the CQC said: “We’re carrying out an assessment of surgical services provided by Northern Care Alliance at Salford Royal Hospital, and that includes some gynaecology services delivered at this hospital.
“We will report on the findings from our assessment once complete.”
The trust is also facing a review of its leadership by the CQC and NHS England, under what is called a “well-led” review, according to an email to staff on Thursday, seen by The Independent. This review will include an assessment of the trust’s.
Last month, the trust’s chief executive, Owen Williams, announced he intends to step down. The trust did not confirm the reason behind his planned departure.
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust was approached for comment.