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Health expert brands UK's coronavirus response 'pathetic'

A leading public health expert has launched a devastating critique of the government’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak in the UK, saying it is too little too late, lacks transparency and fails to mobilise the public.

Prof John Ashton, a former regional director of public health for north-west England, lambasted a lack of preparation and openness from the government and contrasted Britain’s response to that of Hong Kong.

“Right at the beginning of February, they [Hong Kong] adopted a total approach to this, which is what we should have done five weeks ago ourselves. They took a decision to work to three principles – of responding promptly, staying alert, working in an open and transparent manner,” he told the Guardian.

“Our lot haven’t been working openly and transparently. They’ve been doing it in a (non) smoke-filled room and just dribbling out stuff. The chief medical officer only appeared in public after about two weeks. Then they have had a succession of people bobbing up and disappearing. Public Health England’s been almost invisible."

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Source: The Guardian, 12 March 2020

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Health department warning over vaccine mandate for NHS staff in England

Ministers have been issued with a stark warning over mandatory Covid vaccines for NHS workers in England, with a leaked document saying growing evidence on the Omicron variant casts doubts over the new law’s “rationality” and “proportionality”.

Two jabs will become compulsory for frontline NHS staff from 1 April after MPs voted on the legislation last month.

But the document, drawn up by Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) officials and seen by the Guardian, said the evidence base on which MPs voted “has changed”, creating a higher chance of objections and judicial review.

The effectiveness of only two vaccine doses against Omicron, and the lower likelihood of hospitalisations from the milder variant, are cited.

More than 70,000 NHS staff – 4.9% – could remain unvaccinated by 1 April, the document says. NHS trusts in England are preparing to start sending dismissal letters from 3 February to any member of staff who has not had their first dose by then.

Amid significant pressures on the NHS, last week groups including the Royal College of Nursing urged Sajid Javid, the health secretary, to delay the legislation, known as “vaccination as a condition of deployment” (VCOD2).

On Tuesday the Royal College of Nursing said the leaked memo should prompt ministers to call a halt to the imposition of compulsory jabs, which it called “reckless”.

“The government should now instigate a major rethink”, said Patricia Marquis, the RCN’s England director. “Mandation is not the answer and sacking valued nursing staff during a workforce crisis is reckless.”

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Source: The Guardian, 18 January 2022

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Health committee launches inquiry into NHS staff burnout

MPs have launched an inquiry examining workforce burnout across the NHS and social care, and the system’s ability to manage staff stress amid increased pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The House of Commons health and social care committee said it aims to produce a report showing the levels of staff needed in health and social care to tackle exhaustion and meet future challenges. 

The committee is calling for evidence on how workforce shortages impacted staff well-being and patient care during the pandemic and the areas that need to see recruitment most urgently. 

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Source: Pulse, 3 August 2020

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Health chiefs launch review to tackle ‘poor care’ faced by many young sickle cell disease sufferers

Health bosses are aiming to tackle “poor care” faced by many children and young people living with sickle cell disease when they move to adult healthcare providers.

NHS Race and Health Observatory, an independent body which examines inequality in healthcare, will work with the Sickle Cell Society charity with the aim of improving the transition for patients into adult care.

It is estimated around 300 babies are born with sickle cell disease each year in the UK and young people with the illness “often experience poor care in non-specialist settings” when moving to adult care, the body said.

Professor Habib Naqvi, chief executive of NHS Race and Health Observatory, said: “By improving trust within the care pathway we can tackle gaps in care, learn from successful outcomes in transition from other disorders and initiatives, and ensure excellent patient-centred care is provided."

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Source: The Independent, 6 October 2024

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Health charities warn women with UTIs are “patronised” and “not believed” when seeking medical help as new research reveals “medical misogyny”

Research by Garmin finds 40% of young women say they have been accused of over-exaggerating symptoms of UTIs.     

While it’s clear that already strained services and a lack of funding contributed to the impact of the pandemic on the healthcare system, health inequality isn’t something that’s unique to Covid-19.

Instead, it’s often the result of commonly misunderstood, misrepresented and mistreated conditions that disproportionately affect women, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

New research from fitness company Garmin, published by The Independent, found that 40% of young women say they have been accused of over-exaggerating symptoms of UTIs or being “overdramatic” about their wellbeing when seeing a doctor. 45% also said they’ve had their UTI symptoms written off as “part of being a woman”.

According to the Chronic Urinary Tract Infection Campaign (CUTIC), 50% of all women will suffer at least one UTI episode in their lifetime, one third of these by the age of 24. 

“Statistics show that UTI is the most common infection seen by GPs,” says CUTIC. “In fact, doctors are so familiar with UTIs that they are frequently dismissed as merely a woman’s problem, rooted in the ‘flawed female anatomy’.

“With little training in UTI management, GPs and urologists rely heavily on discredited laboratory tests which miss up to 60% of infections."

“The medical training for UTI diagnosis is inadequate and most doctors are not aware of the complexity of this illness. They are trained to accept the test results and look no further,” CUTIC suggests.

“It is clear from the recent government probe into menopause that women’s health has not been an area of priority. Conditions which primarily affect women are underfunded and under researched – this includes UTIs. Women are frequently patronised and not believed when they describe symptoms relating to UTIs, peri-menopause, menopause and vaginal atrophy. Medical training fails to include proper diagnosis and effective treatment for such conditions. Change is needed now.”

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Source: The Stylist, 2 February 2022

Have you attempted to access treatment for a urinary tract infection (UTI), or recurrent UTIs? We'd love you to share your experiences with us? Share your experience on the hub.

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Health bosses won't be rewarded for failure under new regulations

NHS managers who commit serious misconduct will not be able to take up other senior NHS roles, under plans to boost patient safety.

The new proposals set out by the Department of Health and Social Care will mean any leader who silences whistleblowers or behaves unacceptably will be banned from returning to a health service position.

They set out the first steps to meet the government’s commitment to introduce professional standards for, and regulation of, NHS managers, with legislation set to be put forward to Parliament next year.

Tens of thousands of clinical and non-clinical managers work in the NHS but there is currently no regulatory framework specifically for managers, like there is for doctors and nurses.

Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said:

I’m determined to create a culture of honesty and openness in the NHS where whistleblowers are protected, and that demands tough enforcement. If you silence whistleblowers, you will never work in the NHS again. We’ve got to create the conditions where staff are free to come forward and sound the alarm when things go wrong. Protecting the reputation of the NHS should never be put before protecting patient safety.

I promised no more rewards for failure in the NHS, and these measures will deliver on it. Most NHS leaders are doing a fantastic job, but we need to stop the revolving door that allows managers sacked for misconduct or incompetence to be quietly moved to another well-paid role in another part of the NHS.

The reforms we are making through our Plan for Change will slam the door in the face of unsuitable managers, while providing the training, support and development to help NHS leaders thrive and lead the NHS into a brighter future.

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Source: Department of Health and Social Care, 21 July 2025

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Health bosses warn of heart disease emergency in England

England is engulfed in a cardiovascular disease emergency, health bosses have said, as stark figures reveal there have been almost 100,000 excess deaths since the start of the Covid pandemic.

Analysis of official government data suggests that more than 500 people a week are dying needlessly from heart disease, heart attacks or strokes. There have been 96,540 extra cardiovascular-related deaths since March 2020, according to the report by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

The BHF said other factors were likely to be driving the continued increase in excess deaths involving cardiovascular disease, including severe and ongoing disruption to NHS heart services.

“Covid-19 no longer fully explains the significant numbers of excess deaths involving cardiovascular disease,” said Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, a consultant cardiologist and associate medical director at the BHF. “Other major factors are likely contributing, including the extreme and unrelenting pressure on the NHS over the last few years.

“Long waits for heart care are dangerous – they put someone at increased risk of avoidable hospital admission, disability due to heart failure and premature death. Yet people are struggling to get potentially lifesaving heart treatment when they need it due to a lack of NHS staff and space, despite cardiovascular disease affecting record numbers of people.”

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Source: The Guardian, 22 June 2023

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Health bosses can't confirm meningitis outbreak contained

Health bosses cannot yet confirm whether a deadly meningitis outbreak has been contained, Kent's director of public health has said.

An urgent public health alert was issued urging health workers to look out for signs of infection after 20 suspected cases were investigated by the UK Health Security Agency, including two people who had died.

A vaccination programme targeting about 5,000 students began at the University of Kent, following an outbreak thought to have originated at a Canterbury nightclub.

When asked whether the outbreak had been contained, Dr Anjan Ghosh, of Kent County Council, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme they were "not in a position yet to say that definitively".

He added: "If you see the daily reporting that's going on, there are more and more cases being reported, but these cases all relate more or less to that same period of time when the initial exposure happened.

"We are looking at what's called secondary transmission, so that's a case that's then transmitted to another couple of people. We need to rule that out before we can say it's definitely contained."

Health chiefs have described the "explosive nature" of the outbreak as unprecedented.

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Source: BBC News, 18 March 2026

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Health boards not publicising Long Covid services, says expert

Health boards are avoiding publicising their Long Covid services to avoid a rush of patients, an expert has claimed.

Edward Duncan, a professor of applied health research, has been evaluating rehabilitation services in Scotland for the past eight months.

The latest ONS figures showed 155,000 Scots had long lasting Covid symptoms.

Prof Duncan said the current situation was contributing to a "trickle" of patients accessing treatment in some regions.

He is working with Robert Gordon University, the University of Dundee and Long Covid sufferers to work out the best way to maximise recovery and quality of life for patients.

It comes after patient groups accused the health service and government ministers of pretending the illness has disappeared.

Prof Duncan said: "Staff in some health boards have said to us that they are purposely not publicising the pathway, because they fear that if they do, they will have so many referrals that they will not be able to meet demand."

"There is a lack of proactive publicity, despite the fact that in late 2020 every health board said that these services were there for patients who need them."

"We know from other research that patients are going to primary care and being told by their GP that they don't know where to send them."

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Source: BBC News, 14 June 2022

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Health board not learning from preventable deaths

Lessons have not been learned to prevent further deaths in north Wales, coroners have told the health secretary.

Over the past year, coroners in Wales wrote 41 "prevention of future deaths reports" and more than half were issued to Betsi Cadwaladr health board.

Health Secretary, Eluned Morgan, said 27 reports issued since January 2023 was "of significant concern".

Betsi Cadwaladr health board said every report was taken very seriously and work was ongoing to respond to key themes.

Ms Morgan said all but three of the deaths happened before the health board was moved back into special measures in February 2023.

The "systemic issues" that emerge as common themes from the coroners' reports include:

  • the quality of investigations and effectiveness of actions
  • a lack of integrated electronic health records impacting care
  • the impact of delays in the system on ambulance response times.

In a written statement earlier this week, Ms Morgan said the health board had given assurances that it was taking the matter "extremely seriously".

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Source: BBC News, 21 March 2024

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Health Bill proposal an ‘attack on patient safety’

Scrapping the legal guarantee that a nurse sits on every foundation trust board is a “brazen attack on patient safety”, the Royal College of Nursing has warned.

The Health Bill, published this month, would remove the requirement in primary legislation for foundation trust boards to include a registered nurse or midwife and a registered medical practitioner or dentist among their executive directors. Under a new schedule to the NHS Act 2006, the only board roles guaranteed in law would be the chief executive, finance director and chair.

The reason for the change is not given in the bill’s explanatory notes, which describe the new board composition without acknowledging that the clinical requirement has gone. It is also absent from the government’s fact sheet on the legal changes affecting providers, and from its impact assessment on foundation trust reform.

The Department of Health and Social Care, which did not respond to requests for clarification before publication, has since contacted HSJ to say that it plans to recreate the requirement for clinical members in secondary legislation (see below).

Royal College of Nursing general secretary and chief executive Nicola Ranger told HSJ that removing the legal requirement – which has been in place since the creation of FTs in the early 2000s – would “allow for hospitals to make decisions about services for entire populations with no clinical oversight whatsoever”.

She said she was “genuinely worried that we could return to those dark days where leaders look to cut nursing staff to make savings, putting financial targets above safety”. Nursing was “the safety-critical, 24/7 presence for patients”, Professor Ranger said, and removing its guaranteed board voice “would be a recipe for disaster”.

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Source: HSJ, 29 May 2026

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Health apps for long COVID self-management

Amongst the 3.9 million confirmed COVID-19 cases in the UK to date, it is estimated that around one in five people experience symptoms that last for five weeks or longer, and one in ten have symptoms that last for twelve weeks or longer.

Termed Long COVID, people report a myriad of symptoms including chronic fatigue, breathlessness, loss of sense of smell, depression and concentration difficulties. Already totalling an estimated 186,000 people, long COVID will bring mounting pressure on primary care services.

Within its COVID-19 rapid guideline for managing the long-term effects of COVID-19, NICE recommends health apps as part of giving advice and information on self-management.

ORCHA has assessed almost 6,500 health apps to date against more than 350 measures and all major standards. From this research, they identified the top-scoring apps across each of the long COVID symptoms to help primary care, community settings and multidisciplinary assessment and rehabilitation services make informed decisions on the best apps for their patients.

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Health alert system aims to cut heatwave deaths

A new alert system will warn the public when high temperatures could damage their health this summer in England.

Run by the UK Health Security Agency and the Met Office, it is aimed at reducing illness and deaths among the most vulnerable as climate change makes heatwaves more frequent.

The Heat Health Alert system will operate year-round, but the core alerting season will run from 1 June to 30 September. The system will offer regional information and advice to the public and send guidance direct to NHS England, the government and healthcare professionals. Individuals can sign up to receive alerts directly and people can specify which region they would like to receive alerts for.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at the UK Health Security Agency, said, "It is important we are able to quantify the likely impacts of these heatwaves before they arrive to prevent illness and reduce the number of deaths."

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Source: BBC News, 1 June 2023

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Head of NHS inquiry warns other families could be victims of cover-ups

The chairman of an inquiry that has confirmed a 20-year cover-up over the avoidable death of a baby has warned there are other families who may have suffered a similar ordeal.

Publishing the findings of his investigation into the 2001 death of Elizabeth Dixon, Dr Bill Kirkup said he wanted to see action taken to prevent harmed families having to battle for years to get answers.

Dr Kirkup, who has been involved in multiple high-profile investigations of NHS failures in recent years, said: “There has been considerable difficulty in establishing investigations, where events are regarded as historic. I don't like the term historic investigations. I think that these things remain current for the people who've suffered harm, until they're resolved, it’s not historic for them.  

“There has been significant reluctance to look at a variety of cases. Mr and Mrs Dixon were courageous and very persistent and they were given help by others and were successful in securing the investigation and it worries me that other people haven't been.

“I do think we should look at how we can establish a proper mechanism that will make sure that such cases are heard."

“It's impossible to rule out there being other people who are in a similar position. In fact, I know of some who are. I think it's as important for them that they get heard, and that they get things that should have been looked at from the start looked at now, if that's the best that we can do.”

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Source: The Independent, 27 November 2020

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Head of NHS England ‘really worried’ about medicine supplies

The head of the NHS in England has said he is “really worried” about medicine supply issues.

A number of experts have raised concerns about cost implications and supply disruption linked to the war in Iran.

The NHS England chief executive, Jim Mackey, was asked during a phone-in on LBC Radio on Tuesday what contingency planning was in place because “the UK imports 75% of its medicine”. He said: “We are really worried about this. We’ve already had a couple of supply shocks in the last 12 to 18 months of key supplies.”

He said a team was in place to “focus on where the risks might be through the supply chains”.

Asked how much supply there was, he replied: “It depends what you’re talking about. In every area, we’ve got enough to get through for a reasonable period … so generally, a few weeks.

“Because things perish and it costs money to store and various other things go out of use, you can’t hold years and years of supply. Generally, dependent on the product, we keep a reasonable period. Some of that is held centrally, some held locally.”

Questioned whether, in some instances, it would be “weeks’ worth of supply”, Mackey said: “Yeah, it could be days for some products.”

His remarks surprised drug and pharmacy organisations, which said they were not yet seeing any shortages related to the conflict.

Henry Gregg, the chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association, said: “We’re not currently seeing shortages of medicine directly linked to the conflict in the Middle East, but pharmacies are seeing disturbing spikes in prices, which can be an early indicator of challenges.

“The Department of Health have issued unprecedented numbers of price concessions designed to cope with price surges, which are likely exacerbated by this current situation.”

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Source: The Guardian, 31 March 2026

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Head nurse describes 'chaotic' night baby died

The night a baby died with an undiagnosed heart condition in a Kent hospital was "quite chaotic", a court has been told.

Head nurse Ronald Carrido was giving evidence at an inquest into the death of seven month-old Tommy Kneebone on 21 January, 2023, at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury, Kent.

Mr Carrido told the inquest he called for consultant help "when there was no improvement in Tommy, when he was deteriorating".

The boy's mother, Shanice Kneebone, previously told Kent and Medway Coroner's Court in Maidstone that "no-one took her concerns seriously" at the hospital.

At the hearing on Wednesday, his parents also heard from the consultant on duty that night.

Breaking down in tears, Doctor Chhaya Patankar told the inquest when she went into his room at 19:00 GMT, Tommy looked at her with "such bright, beautiful eyes".

The paediatric consultant said she examined Tommy, listened to his heartbeat and checked his liver.

He "responded like any baby would do," she said.

Dr Patankar said the baby had mild respiratory distress, which "fitted with" what she had been told.

"But there was a lack of the broader picture," she said.

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Source: BBC News, 24 September 2025

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He was trapped in hospitals for a decade – now he is finally free

Just one year ago, Nicholas Thornton lay in a windowless hospital room, in a bed he could not leave on his own, unable to speak.

He had spent 10 years like this, in hospital wards – as well as in unsuitable dementia care homes and psychiatric units – all because he had learning disabilities and autism.

Now, 12 months on, he is finally free at the age of 29 – and in a home of his own.

His incredible transformation since leaving Rochard Hospital, in Essex, means he is now able to leave his house unassisted and has even regained his speech.

“It’s like I have my life back, I have my freedom back... for so long I was just stuck in the hospital. I have my freedom,” he said.

But while Nicholas reaps the benefits of his new life, there are more than 2,000 people just like him, stuck in hospitals across the country because there is no suitable care for them outside.

Hundreds have been trapped in hospital for more than five years, unable to be discharged into the community as local authorities struggle to come up with funding to meet their needs – and some have become so deeply institutionalised that their needs are now extremely complex.

Ministers have introduced a new Mental Health Bill meaning patients with a learning disability and autism would only be sectioned under the Mental Health Act for a maximum of 28 days.

But the changes to the act are unlikely to have prevented what happened to Nicholas, who ended up in inappropriate settings primarily because of a breakdown in care packages.

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Source: The Independent, 13 November 2024

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Hay fever sufferers warned against buying Kenalog medication online

Pharmacists are warning the public against buying unlicensed hay fever medication online, including the jab Kenalog, because of safety fears.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said people should not buy Kenalog, which can be advertised on social media sites or by salons and beauty clinics.

The organisation, which represents more than 6,000 independent community pharmacies, said health staff have been receiving more and more enquiries about Kenalog.

It is concerned that medication from unregulated sellers could be fake and poses a risk to patient safety.

The drug also has known side-effects, such as increased blood pressure, dizziness, severe abdominal pain, depression and mood swings.

Kenalog is a prescription-only medicine that is not licensed for the treatment of hay fever in the UK.

It contains triamcinolone acetonide, which is a steroid injection licensed for a number of conditions such as arthritis, but not for hay fever.

In 2022, the regulator the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) issued a joint enforcement notice about the advertising of Kenalog injections.

They told all organisations offering Kenalog as a hay fever treatment to stop advertising it on any of their social media or website advertising.

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Source: ITVX, 10 May 2025

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Having minimum nurse to patient ratios cuts risk of death, new study claims

New research examining the effect of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios has found it reduces the risks of those in care dying by up to 11%. 

The study, published in The Lancet, also said fewer patients were readmitted and they had shorter stays in hospital.

It compared 400,000 patients and 17,000 nurses working in 27 hospitals in Queensland, Australia to 28 other hospitals. The state has a policy of just one nurse to every four patients during the day and one to seven at night, in a bid to improve safety and standards of care.

The research said savings made from patients having a shorter length of stay, which fell 9%, and less readmissions were double the cost of hiring the extra nurses needed to achieve the ratios.

NHS England has resisted moves towards minimum nurse to patient ratios, suspended work by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on safe nurse staffing in 2015. This came as the watchdog was preparing to call for minimum ratios in accident and emergency departments. It has advised that eight or more patients to one nurse is the point at which harm can start to occur.

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Source: The Independent, 12 May 2021

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Have your say in shaping the future of NHS complaint handling

The Parliament and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) been working with the NHS and other public service organisations, members of the public and advocacy groups to develop a shared vision for NHS complaint handling. We've called this the Complaint Standards Framework. 

Now they want to hear from you.

Have your say in shaping the future of NHS complaint handling by taking part in their survey. 

Read the Complaint Standards Framework: Summary of core expectations for NHS organisations and staff

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Has the government broken the law by putting NHS staff in harm's way?

We don’t yet know the number of NHS staff who have lost their lives in the battle against COVID-19. On Wednesday, Dominic Raab put the figure at 69, but the true figure is considered to be far greater. 

These deaths are not “natural” casualties of the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, they may be the result of a failure in the government’s duty to care for NHS staff, which is why it is vital it is properly investigated under the law.

Since the pandemic reached the UK, we have heard countless reports of doctors and nurses raising the alarm over the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) when treating COVID-19 patients.

How many of these deaths could have been prevented had sufficient PPE been provided to NHS workers? And if there is a lack of PPE, how did this happen? The health secretary, Matt Hancock, says the biggest challenge is “one of distribution rather than one of supply”. Should more have been done to meet this challenge, and if so what? Does the government have a legal duty to do more to protect the lives of healthcare workers?

There must be investigations into the individual deaths of NHS workers, out of respect to them, and also so that future deaths can be prevented. The evidence appears to be that the government has failed to protect them from risk to their lives, and if that is the case then an investigation will be required by law.

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Source: The Guardian, 25 April 2020

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Has Covid changed hospitals for the better?

The pandemic has been a catalyst for innovation in the NHS and some changes will have a lasting effect, says Dr John Wright of Bradford Royal Infirmary.

The Covid pandemic has transformed our hospitals. Car parks are empty, once-bustling corridors are quiet, and these days you won't see any staff making fashion statements - we're all in scrubs and masks.

Dr Wright says changes made to reduce spread of infection are here to stay and will help us live with future outbreaks of Covid and other infectious diseases. But there is also much to learn from how we have adapted to non-Covid care - with drive-through PCR swabs and blood tests, for example, or the use of oximeters to monitor oxygen levels in the blood of Covid patients in their homes, providing warning if they need to be admitted to hospital.

But the biggest change has been in the way hospital consultations are carried out. Before the pandemic nearly all appointments took place face-to-face. Last year probably 90% occurred via telephone or video call, and most of my colleagues at Bradford Royal Infirmary are still running remote clinics today.

This is much more convenient for patients. In the past a typical consultation might have involved a half-day of travel, the search for a parking place, and then sitting in a waiting room. However, remote consultations do have their drawbacks. Patients tend to underplay their symptoms on the phone and it is easier to avoid discussing challenging issues. Life-changing diagnoses require sensitive, face-to-face communication. Another problem is that some patients struggle with technology. 

The main drawback, though, is that clinicians are unable to undertake physical examination remotely. Clinical histories are the yin of the consultation but physical examinations are the yang, and video consultations only provide half the picture.

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Source: BBC News, 15 March 2021

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Harvard researchers find significant clinical impact and cost savings with MedAware's patient safety platform

MedAware, a developer of AI-based patient safety solutions, has announced the publication of a study by The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, validating both the significant clinical impact and anticipated ROI of MedAware's machine learning-enabled clinical decision support platform designed to prevent medication-related errors and risks.

The study analysed MedAware's clinical relevance and accuracy and estimated the platform's direct cost savings for adverse events potentially prevented in Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women's Hospitals' outpatient clinics. If the system had been operational, the estimated direct cost savings of the avoidable adverse events would have been more than $1.3 million when extrapolating the study's findings to the full patient population.  

Dr David Bates, study co-author, Professor at Harvard Medical School, and Director of the Center for Patient Safety Research & Practice at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said: "Because it is not rule-based, MedAware represents a paradigm shift in medication-related risk mitigation and an innovative approach to improving patient safety."

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Source: CISION PR Newswire, 16 December 2019

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Hartlepool woman had 'agonising' hysteroscopy without consent

A 51-year-old woman has said she endured an “agonising” hysteroscopy at University Hospital of Hartlepool after not giving informed consent for the procedure.

Dawn Lord attended the hospital in May 2023 expecting only routine blood tests and a discussion about future investigations. As she was leaving, her doctor abruptly suggested carrying out a biopsy. She said she was given no explanation of what this would involve and was “in shock” as she was asked to change for the procedure.

During the biopsy, a cervical polyp was removed without warning. Mrs Lord said she repeatedly told staff she was in severe pain but was not offered any pain relief. When the biopsy failed, she was told a hysteroscopy — involving a small camera inserted through the cervix — would be “a better method”. She said she was not informed of what was happening and recalled hearing the doctor say “can’t get it” during the attempt.

Despite being given a local anaesthetic, Mrs Lord described the pain as “beyond a scale of one to 10”. She continued to suffer heavy bleeding and intense pain over the following days, even fainting during the night. She complained to the hospital and received an apology five months later, along with £400 compensation.

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust admitted it had not met the “high standard of care” it strives for and said her complaint prompted a review leading to service improvements. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman said the trust had already apologised and committed to improving how it informs patients about procedures and obtains consent.

A hysteroscopy is considered the gold-standard method for diagnosing gynaecological conditions, though the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says a third of patients report severe pain and should be offered appropriate anaesthesia.

Full article here.

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Harry Richford inquest: 'Lives at risk' over locum doctor recruitment

Lives may be at risk unless the NHS reviews how stand-in doctors are recruited, a coroner has warned.

Harry Richford's death after a series of failings at a hospital in Margate, Kent, was ruled "wholly avoidable". An inquest heard he was delivered by an "inexperienced" locum doctor who was new to the hospital.

A national review into the recruitment, assessment and supervision of locums should be carried out, Christopher Sutton-Mattocks said in a report. The coroner wrote that particular emphasis should be considered upon the scope of locums' activities before they are left responsible for out-of-hours labour care.

He issued 19 recommendations to prevent future deaths, including a request that NHS England and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists consider such a review, warning "there may be a risk to other lives both at this trust and at other trusts in the future".

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Source: BBC News, 19 February 2020

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