Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress his Department has made in turning around failing hospitals.
Through the use of special measures, the Care Quality Commission, Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority are making considerable progress at turning around failing hospitals.
Across the trusts now in the regime, there are over 1,200 new nurses and nursing assistants, as well as 118 more doctors.
I am delighted that Basildon yesterday became the first trust to exit special measures. This is clear proof that our tough action to turn these hospitals around is working.