Minister visits scandal hospital
Thursday 26th March 2009, 11:30AM GMT.
Health Secretary Alan Johnson arrived at Stafford Hospital today and described the lack of care which led to hundreds of deaths as ‘inexcusable’.
Mr Johnson this morning met patients and staff at the facility where he spoke of an ‘appalling lack of care’ in the wake of last week’s damning Healthcare Commission report.
The embattled minister is under fire for refusing to launch an independent inquiry into “chaotic” patient care at the hospital, which is said to have caused up to 1,200 unneccesary deaths.
He has also resisted calls for Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Martin Yeates to be sacked, saying it would be a ‘knee-jerk reaction’.
Mr Yeates is currently suspended on full pay. However, Mr Johnson has apologised for the fiasco and described the failings at Stafford Hospital as “inexcusable”
And arriving today he said: “There is nothing I can say that can compensate for the appalling lack of care some patients have received at Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust.
“The Healthcare Commission Report is comprehensive and robust, it pulls no punches.
“Today, I want to meet patient representatives to hear what they have to say and how they may want to be involved in the review of case notes.
“I also want to meet the new chair and chief executive, talk to staff and staff representatives and tour the hospital myself.”
Mr Johnson’s surprise visit was announced at the last minute after shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley announced he was to visit the troubled facility.
Mr Lansley has demanded an inquiry into why the trust was given foundation status in 2007, despite warnings about its high death rates.
Mr Johnson was accompanied by Stafford MP David Kidney who has been severely criticised by campaigners over his handling of the crisis.
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
Are you there to bring managers to account ?
The Chief Executive, Director of Nursing, Director of Operations etc…
I think not, as they were achieving their Government targets – they just got found out !!!
Report abuse
Achieving targets is not necessarily good for health care as is proof of this hospital
Report abuse
The hospital needs a shake up . i was there the other day and was having my blood pressure done and one nurse asked the others if they had seen the dispach on telly . they all agreed it was rubbish and a load of nonsence. i sat there very upset as my mum died in december and they have admitted an error was made. so i surgest these nurses shut up and get on with the job they are doing and maybe mistakes wont happen so much
Report abuse
So, my question is who will be sacked for this mismanagment of a hospital. NO payout, no golden handshake, these people at the top need to take responsibility and got rid of
Report abuse
My appendix burst and I was at Stafford, they left me in A and E for hours as they said they were busy clearing up after drunks and to sit and wait, even though I was in agony, then I had to wait for 3 days before an surgeon was available to operate even knowing my appendix had burst. My daughter had to go into A and E and physically bring a doctor up to administer pain relief as the nurses said they were too busy to contact a doctor. Once I had my op I was told that my appendix had burst and had gangrene and that I could have died at any moment. I guess I was one of the lucky ones, I got out alive, but I will NEVER forget that sheer agony for those 3 days.
Report abuse
I had burst appendix and went to A and E, at Stafford, and was told to sit there until they had cleared up from the drunks. When I finally got to see a doctor he told me the receptionist had written down what I told her wrong and that I should have been seen urgently, even though I told her I had appendicitis. I was then left for 3 days in a hospital bed, no food nor water, very little painkillers, oh until my daughter went down into A and E to actually fetch a doctor to give me morphine, the nurses said they were too busy to call one even though I was in a bed in agony. I eventually got my appendix out and the report said that I had gangrene in my appendix and that it had burst, which I already knew, I kept telling them I was going to die but they didn’t listen…..I was a lucky one I guess, I got out but I will never forget that pain for those 3 days. The surgeon told me that it was disgusting the way I had been treated, the appendix should have come out as soon as I went to A and E, I could have died at any moment, he told me that theatre staff didn’t want to do it as it meant going into overtime and they were busy getting Christmas sorted out.
Report abuse
As you know I’ve been fighting a campaign against the NHS in the West Midlands for some 10 years. I consider this episode a justification for my action and regret that patients are made to pay such a heavy price. Consideration and compassion for the patient have not yet entered the medical profession’s vocabulary. Will this be a turning point?
Report abuse