Public 'valid force' to improve hospital
They spoke out after being told at a packed public meeting that patients' basic needs were still not being met, despite a Healthcare Commission inquiry uncovering "appalling standards" and hundreds of deaths.
But the biggest cheer from the 150 people in the town's Trinity Methodist Church yesterday greeted calls for a public inquiry.
Despite estimates that between 400 and 1,200 patients had died prematurely through negligence, one of the specialists, Dr David Colin-Thome, said the system of measuring hospital death rates was so flawed he could not say whether there had been any extra fatalities caused by the poor care at http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/mytownstafford">Stafford.
But the retired GP, who is national director of primary care, said he had been "most disappointed" both by the failure of hospital doctors to speak out about the problems and that the national patient watchdog movement, the Local Involvement Network (LINk), had not even been started in the town.
He said: "I was quite shocked by how doctors raised no concerns. They have more power than other groups and they should have spoken up. That was so poor I cannot find words strong enough.
"In addition, all organisations outside the hospital which might have responded failed to do so. It is quite rare for a town that no-one speaks up except the relatives."
He told the crowd of patients, relatives and campaigners: "Even now it is really disappointing how formal organisations have not reached out to you to be part of the solution. You are a valid force for improvement at that hospital."
The other expert, Professor George Alberti, Department of Health national director of emergency care, said he had made 23 recommendations to ensure the emphasis would be on standards rather than patients going through a "Department of Health sausage machine".
He described the decision two years ago to cut 100 nurses as "a catastrophe" and said there were also too few consultants.
Forecasting it would take six to 12 months to complete the improvements, he said: "Things are already getting better, but it will not happen overnight. There is a 20 per cent deficiency in nursing to rectify as well as training issues.
"We have also asked the hospital to get more consultants. It will all take a little time but it will get sorted. Whatever is decided over a public inquiry, that should not get in the way of making improvements now."
One care worker in the audience said she had quit her job at the hospital because she had been asked to do nursing duties beyond her training. As nurses sat in the office, she was told to change a bed rather than help a patient desperate for the toilet.
To applause, http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/mytownstafford">Stafford hospital campaigner Julia Bailey said: "For 18 months no-one listened to grieving relatives. They tried to get the police and solicitors to silence us.
"But after all this time and money spent, we are still trying to get patients fed and treated properly."
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/mytownstafford">Stafford MP David Kidney said: "I have asked the new health secretary for a public inquiry and I will not rest until we have had one."
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