Patients face risk of harm as hospital group splits

Details of the serious concerns raised by the Care Quality Commission about the collapsing Humber Health Partnership hospital group have been uncovered by HSJ.
The regulator served section 29A warning notices on group members Hull University Teaching Hospitals Trust and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Foundation Trust in July in response to ongoing patient safety concerns.

The warning notices, which have now been seen by HSJ, show the CQC is unhappy with the rate of progress achieved by the group. This was “insufficient due to the scale of work required”, and meant “patients remained at risk of harm”.

A review of serious incidents undertaken by the watchdog found “limited evidence” that learning was taking place, with the same factors “repeatedly” identified. These included staffing pressures and inconsistent policies, particularly on medicines management.

The group was also criticised for its poor record on infection control. The CQC said these failings were “part of a longer-term pattern, with little evidence of improvement over time”.

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Source: HSJ, 29 September 2026