Concerns Raised About Performance of Local Hospitals
Recent developments involving our local hospitals have raised serious concerns for patients and the wider community. Reports about NHS England’s oversight framework have highlighted ongoing performance and governance challenges affecting hospitals across Hull, Cottingham, Goole, Grimsby and Scunthorpe.
Our clinical negligence specialists regularly support clients who have experienced problems with treatment in the region and across the UK. As a result, we often see firsthand the impact that delays, staffing pressures and system failures can have on patients and their families.
Changes to the NHS Humber Health Partnership
In recent years, the Trusts that look after our local hospitals, Hull, Cottingham, Goole, Grimsby and Scunthorpe have all merged to be managed by NHS Humber Health Partnership.
Most patients would not have been aware of this change, as the hospitals still operate under the familiar names Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Northern Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Foundation Trust.
However, as a team of legal professionals managing medical negligence claims in the region, this has only served, in our opinion, to cause unnecessary and further delays in the progress of investigating complaints.
Ongoing Delays in Accessing Patient Records
One particular issue that our clients face is the ongoing excuses and delays in provision of patient records or responses to allegations presented to the legal department. Backlogs and staffing issues are regularly cited as reasons for the delays.
At the moment we face a backlog of potentially around a year before patient records are disclosed to us and this simply cannot be right. Some of these patients need urgent assistance, rehabilitation, and admission of negligence before they can move on from what has happened to them. To face a wait of a year before the case can even be investigated is unacceptable.
It has recently been announced by the BBC that NHS England is moving the organisation responsible into the lowest category of a specialist framework which will ensure tighter restrictions and impose certain conditions upon its management. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd037v9p4j2o
NHS England’s National Oversight Framework
The National Oversight Framework (NOF) scales organisations into Segments, from 1 to 5.
- Segment 1 organisations have the least challenges
- Segment 5, in which our local hospitals will now be placed, is reserved for providers who face the most significant performance or governance challenges.
In July last year an improvement team were appointed at significant cost to the public purse. Directorship roles are currently live for recruitment.
Local Hospitals Among the Worst Performing in England
Since the appointment of the improvement team, and despite their efforts the hospitals all remain part of the worst performing hospitals in the country.
In December 2025, the NHS England’s league tables ranked Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust at 130. That is 130 out of 134 Hospital Trusts reviewed. Fourth to last. Sadly, more recent league tables published on 18th March reveal our local trust is now 134. Last in the league tables. https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/acute-trust-league-table/
For residents in our region, this is simply shocking news and understandably raises concerns about the management of local healthcare services and the treatment they may need in the future.
Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (responsible for Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Goole Hospitals) fares little better, ranking 114th in the same review.
All of the hospitals in our region are currently operating in financial deficit, meaning that they must be placed in Segment 3 of the framework as a minimum.
Impact on Patients and Families
In a recent investigation the BBC asked the organisation for comment and were told:
“We have launched a new learning improvement and safety academy to address safety issues, learn from incidents and educate and train our workforce better to prevent incidents from happening again.”
Sadly, it’s hard to believe this will make any change and our medical negligence team at Bridge McFarland LLP see firsthand the devastation that the problems at our local hospitals can bring.
The cases we encounter involve a range of serious issues, including:
- Delays in diagnosis
- Missed or incorrect diagnoses
- Surgical errors
- Birth injuries
- In the most tragic cases, unnecessary deaths
These are just some of the issues faced by people in Hull, Grimsby and the wider region that are being served by these hospitals.
Hope for Accountability and Improvement
We can only but hope that putting the organisation responsible into this special oversight category will ensure greater accountability and lead to meaningful improvements in patient care across our local hospitals.
Patients in our region deserve safe, timely, and effective treatment, and we will continue to support those affected when standards of care fall short.
Speak to Our Medical Negligence Solicitors
Our medical injury specialists assist clients who have suffered harm as a result of malpractice and negligent treatment from any medical professional.
If you believe that you, or a loved one has suffered from medical negligence, our team are here to support you and provide legal guidance.
Please seek the answers you deserve and telephone our experienced medical negligence team on 0800 987 8800 or make a free online enquiry here and we will contact you. Alternatively, email us at medneg@bmcf.co.uk
Medical Negligence Specialists – Bridge McFarland LLP
medicalnegligence.co.uk is owned and operated by Bridge McFarland LLP, an established and nationally recognised law firm renowned for specialist expertise and experience in this complex area of law. With our determination and commitment to providing our clients with an exceptional standard of service, we have held the highly regarded Lexcel quality mark since June 2008. Many of our solicitors also hold the specialist Law Society Clinical Negligence Accreditation, a recognised quality standard for practitioners representing claimants in medical negligence matters. These accolades are only awarded to firms who have undergone regular rigorous and independent assessments.
This article is not intended to be taken as legal advice or acted upon, and information may have changed since publication. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our medical negligence team.