Leadership at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been rated as ‘Requires Improvement’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Inspectors have identified concerns over staff morale, patient safety, governance and a culture where some employees fear speaking up, according to a report published today (Friday).
The assessment was the regulator’s first since the trust was formed in October 2024 through the merger of Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust and Solent NHS Trust, alongside the transfer of some services from Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Isle of Wight NHS Trust.
Inspectors found the trust had made significant progress in bringing together 4 organisations, but said cultural and governance changes had not yet filtered through to frontline services.
Staff told the CQC senior leaders were not visible, describing a disconnect between clinical and non-clinical teams. Around 18% of staff surveyed said they would not feel confident raising concerns because they believed nothing would change or feared retaliation.
The report also highlights concerns raised by staff working in acute mental health services, who said unsafe admissions were affecting the wellbeing of both patients and colleagues and that safety concerns were sometimes overlooked.
Inspectors found delays in sharing learning from safety incidents, confusion over reporting structures and multiple incompatible electronic systems, creating a risk that important patient information could be lost when people transferred between services. Difficulties with training systems also left mandatory Mental Health Act training at 75% during the inspection.
The CQC also said more work was needed to improve equality, diversity and inclusion. Staff from protected groups, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds and disabled employees, described negative experiences when applying for promotions and development opportunities.
Despite the concerns, inspectors praised the dedication of frontline staff, with patients and carers describing care as compassionate and saying they were involved in decisions about treatment. The trust was also recognised for its partnership working, research activity and innovation, including developing lived experience leadership roles and using virtual psychologists and consultants to improve access to care.
Serena Coleman, CQC Deputy Director of Mental Health in the South, said the trust had made “significant work” to establish the new organisation but that cultural and governance improvements had not fully embedded, impacting staff morale.
She said the trust understood the improvements required and that the CQC would continue to monitor progress.
