MP backs hospital care inquiry
Calls for a public inquiry into standards of care at Stafford hospital are growing after Staffordshire MP Bill Cash added his support to the idea.
Campaigners from Cure the NHS have already demanded a public inquiry into the hospital and its high death rates which the Healthcare Commission has said could have led to hundreds of people dying needlessly.
Now Stone MP and Conservative politician Bill Cash has said a public inquiry is the only way to really get to the bottom of "what went wrong at Stafford Hospital."
Mr Cash told the Express & Star a public inquiry would serve the public better and draw together all the reviews that have been announced by Health Secretary Alan Johnson.
He said: "I believe there should be a public inquiry under The Inquiries Act. There is an overriding public interest that needs to be discharged by a full comprehensive public inquiry."
Mr Cash said there was a "conflict of interest" with Cynthia Bower, the former head of the Strategic Health Authority which previously monitored Stafford Hospital, carrying out a review of the hospital in her new role as chief executive of Care Quality Commission.
He added: "A public inquiry would need to be completed fairly quickly and I think that could be achieved through its terms of reference. The Healthcare Commission has already done a lot of what I would say was the preliminary work for an inquiry."
His calls for an inquiry however were not backed by neighbouring Staffordshire MP Tony Wright, who represents Cannock Chase.
He said: "I am not persuaded that a public inquiry is needed. We are not short of inquiries and we have already had a very comprehensive investigation by the Healthcare Commission."
Mr Wright said he believed the trust had been "distracted" by the Foundation Trust application adding: "There have been care issues at that trust for a long time and I have files to prove it. What concerns me is that the trust was getting these huge numbers of complaints over care that were being upheld but care issues were not even being discussed at board level. What were the non-executives doing?"
Today the Law Society has also suggested a public inquiry could be held.
Malcolm Fowler, from the Law Society, said there were features of the situation at Stafford Hospital which could lead to a public inquiry being held.
