A Chance for Some Accountability..well maybe

This arrived in my inbox today:

Patient & Public Involvement in Health & Social Care

Health Minister confirms door is open to Public Inquiry following tragic Stafford Hospital deaths.

NALM today welcomed a promise by Health Minister Ben Bradshaw that the government is open to persuasion for a Public Inquiry into the tragic deaths, and grossly inadequate patient care, at Mid Stafford Foundation Hospital. The pledge made to a parliamentary Health Committee follows demands by distraught relatives, for a full investigation into the collapse of care and treatment at the Hospital.

But campaigners were stunned and shocked when MPs questioned Dr Peter Daggett, Consultant Physician from Mid-Staffordshire Foundation Hospital, who refused to apologise on behalf of doctors, for the appalling failures at Mid- Stafford Hospital. Dr Daggett responding to MP Sandra Gidley’s question replied: “the doctors have nothing to apologise for”. Dr Daggett also rejected reports from relatives and local campaigners from the ‘Cure the NHS’, of appalling and grossly inadequate care on Mid Stafford Hospital Wards.

Challenged on the culture of secrecy and poor complaints investigation at the hospital, Ben Bradshaw agreed that Foundation Hospital Board meeting should be held in public and agreed that the Hospital ‘completely failed to deal with complaints’.

Malcolm Alexander, Chair of NALM, said: “NALM welcomes the commitment by Minister Ben Bradshaw to look again at the demand by ‘Cure the NHS’ (patients and families campaign set up by those affected by failings at Stafford Hospital) for a full public inquiry. There were failures at Stafford Hospital at every level, the senior managers, the Board, nurses and doctors. The PCT and Monitor failed local people focussing on becoming a Foundation Trust instead of patients care. A public inquiry would unearth how the events at Stafford were allowed to happen and what must be done to prevent such tragedies from happening again. The public must have their confidence restored in the NHS.

The Government has systematically undermined public involvement in the NHS and must wake up to the consequence. Local Involvement Networks (LINks), the new public involvement watchdogs must be given real independence, sufficient resources and a commitment to a long term role in the NHS. Effective patient and public inspection and monitoring is essential to ensure safe health and social care services.”

Malcolm Alexander,
Chair, NALM

The statement that the government is open to persuasion in regards to a public inquiry is a bit lame. As in should anyone have to be persuaded?

Oh! For a new democracy in which public organisations (particularly those who manage them) have to be accountable to the public and YES I went and voted. I think it was more a protest vote than anything else because the party I would have liked to vote for didn't put forward candidates for the local elections. At least I got to vote for the party I really wanted to in the European elections.

My daughter voted for the first time too. Good on her!!!