The author of a government review has suggested ministers suppressed the truth about NHS failings for “electoral reasons”.
The recently published report on mortality rates was commissioned by the government in the wake of the Stafford Hospital scandal. It was conducted by Sir Bruce Keogh, the medical director for the NHS in England, while contributions were also made by independent medical expert Professor Sir Brian Jarman.
Before its publication, Prof Sir Brian Jarman revealed that from 2005 to 2010, 14 NHS trusts recorded more deaths that the national average. The trusts in question have been named as:
- Basildon and Thurrock in Essex;
- Blackpool;
- Buckinghamshire Healthcare;
- Burton, Staffordshire;
- Colchester;
- East Lancashire;
- George Eliot, Warwickshire;
- Medway, Kent;
- North Cumbria;
- Northern Lincolnshire and Goole;
- Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire;
- Tameside, Greater Manchester;
- The Dudley Group, West Midlands;
- United Lincolnshire.
He said: “Looking at the 14 trusts, if you say how many deaths would they have had, had they had the national death rate, over the last five years it would have been about 13,000 fewer deaths. This means really that we have a number of other hospitals that are similar to Mid Staffs. I would put Mid Staffs in about the top third of those 14.”
Sir Brian also suggested that ministers withheld details about the higher than average mortality rates to avoid losing votes. “One of the basic problems is that the government is responsible for provision of the health service but also for the monitoring of it. The NHS is very popular…in the country, and they don’t want a bad news story for electoral purposes.”
“When they had a problem with quality, they couldn’t really say what is was, so things were suppressed. Effectively they had to deliver good news for the minister.”
Have you been affected by NHS failings?
If you or your loved one has been affected by NHS failings, do not hesitate to talk to a solicitor about your experience as you could be the innocent victim of medical negligence. Contact us at Glynns to find out more.
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