“The problems identified by the inspectors can only be properly addressed by urgent investment in our NHS and our public services.”

Commenting on the CQC Report on Aintree NHS Trust, Paul Summers, UNISON North West Regional Organiser said:  

“The problems identified by the CQC are real and will be of great concern to the public, but they are a result of decisions taken in Westminster not in Aintree.      

“We need to be clear that the Trust’s problems are rooted in government underfunding.  Where staffing levels are inadequate other problems inevitably follow – longer waits at A&E, and patients not being attended to quickly enough on wards.   

“The Trust has a good rating for caring and this reflects the continuing staff commitment to patients, but staff are overstretched and struggling to keep services going.  

“A problem identified by the CQC is delays in patients being able to return home due to inadequate social care provision and this reflects how cuts to other public services lead to increasing pressure on the NHS.    

“The Trust receives some praise from the CQC and staff are doing a brilliant job in increasingly difficult circumstances.  CQC reports tend to focus attention on the local Trust but in truth, the problems identified by the inspectors can only be properly addressed by urgent investment in our NHS and our public services.  If we want to halt the escalating crisis in our NHS – that is affecting all our services in Merseyside – we need a change in central government policy.”