Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust

Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust runs Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, St Peter’s Hospital in Maldon and St Michael's Hospital in Braintree

It was announced in March 2014 that the Trust (MEHT) would take over Serco’s contract for running services at Braintree Community Hospital from the start of April.

The Trust predicts a deficit of £19.6m in 2013-14. In May 2014 it was reported that the trust, which posted revenues of £275m in 2013-14, faced a structural deficit of around £15m related to a Private finance initiative deal that funded a raft of improvements and was looking for a financial rescue package from the NHS Trust Development Authority.

The trust was one of 26 responsible for half of the national growth in patients waiting more than four hours in accident and emergency over the 2014/5 winter.

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission discovered during a visit in February 2015 that Broomfield and Braintree Community hospitals were using unqualified nursing staff in an emergency unit.

The trust spent £18 million on agency staff in 2014/5. In February 2016 it was expecting a deficit of £38.4 million for the year 2015/6.