Chief says care has improved at Stafford Hospital
The boss of Stafford Hospital today outlined improvements made at the scandal-hit site as the publication of the £11 million public inquiry into standards of care approaches.
The report, compiled by Robert Francis QC, set to be released later this month, is expected to demand a complete overhaul of NHS regulations. It follows the unnecessary deaths of up to 1,200 people at the hospital between 2005 and 2008. But Chief executive at Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust, Lyn Hill-Tout today said things had changed.
She said: "Sadly, we cannot undo the past or the harm that some of our patients and their relatives suffered as a result of terrible care. However, it is not representative of the care patients receive at Stafford Hospital today.
"The Care Quality Commission lifted all concerns about Stafford Hospital in July 2012 and our mortality rates are the second best out of 41 trusts in the Midlands and East of England.
"None of our patients have acquired MRSA infection in hospital since February 2012 and our Clostridium Difficile rate continues to fall.
"All wards now have a ward sister, responsible for maintaining the quality of nursing care and the smooth running of their ward.
"We have increased nursing staff and the ratio of qualified to unqualified nurses.
"One of the outcomes of increased staff has been a reduction in the number of patients who fall whilst in our care"
She also outlined "comfort rounds", where nurses undertake two-hourly checks of every patient in the afternoon, evening and night and ask if they are comfortable, if they need pain relief, a drink or something to eat or if they need assistance to go to the toilet. This is now being introduced in other hospitals.
She added: "We are not complacent, we know we don't get it right every time but we do not hide the facts. We are regularly scrutinised by the Health Scrutiny Committee and our governors go out into the community and hold public question times."
