Stafford Hospital faces second inquiry

Jul 22 2009

Health Secretary Andy Burnham has announced a second inquiry into what went wrong at a Staffordshire hospital trust where standards of care were branded "appalling" by the Healthcare Commission.

Between 400 and 1,200 more people died than would have been expected at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust between 2005 and 2008, according to the Commission's report published in March.

Mr Burnham announced a second inquiry, chaired by Robert Francis QC, which will hear evidence from patients and families and identify lessons for the future.

"The hospital and Primary Care Trust must listen to patients and local people and involve them in shaping the future of the hospital," Mr Burnham said during a visit to the hospital.

"This new independent inquiry will give patients and their families the opportunity to present their evidence and ensure that any other lessons are learned without unduly distracting the new management and staff at the hospital from improving services for patients."

Trust staff, including former managers, will be expected to give evidence to the inquiry and if Mr Francis feels he needs the power to require witnesses to attend, a Department of Health spokesman said the Secretary of State can give him that power using the Inquiries Act 2005.

The inquiry is part of a package of measures to tackle failing foundation trusts which includes a consultation on changes that would enable Monitor, the foundation trust regulator, to remove the prestigious status from those which fail to meet standards.

Mr Burnham said "the overwhelming majority" of foundation trust hospitals are providing the highest quality of care but added that those that are "clearly failing their patients" should not retain the freedoms which the status gives.

"The failings at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust exposed a need for changes to the current regulations and the powers I am proposing will ensure that we can intervene in such cases," he added.