Committee reviews NHS quality reports as part of patient care scrutiny
Lincolnshire County Council's Health Scrutiny Committee has completed its annual review of NHS Quality Accounts, highlighting good progress by healthcare providers while calling for further improvements in how patient outcomes are measured and reported.
At its latest meeting, the committee considered the work of its Quality Accounts Working Group, which examined more than 490 pages of draft reports submitted by six NHS providers across Lincolnshire and neighbouring areas.
The reports, known as Quality Accounts, set out how NHS organisations are working to improve the quality, safety and experience of patient care.
Committee chairman Councillor Richard Cleaver praised members of the working group for their detailed review.
He said: "Quality Accounts are an important way for providers to explain what they are doing to improve patient care, safety and experience. The Working Group took a close look at the six draft accounts and put forward constructive comments designed to support continued improvement across each organisation.
"We welcomed the openness shown by providers, the progress made in a number of areas, and the strong commitment to patient safety, learning and service improvement. At the same time, we were clear that providers should continue to strengthen the use of data, sharpen their outcome measures and show more clearly how priorities translate into measurable improvement for patients.
"This work helps the committee to play its part in holding local NHS providers to account and supporting better services for residents across Lincolnshire. I want to place on record my thanks to the Working Group for the time and care they gave to this important task."
The committee reviewed draft Quality Accounts from Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust.
The committee's comments will be submitted to each organisation as part of the Quality Accounts process for 2025/26.