Regulator admits multiple failings in investigation of young woman’s death

Multiple failings have been found in the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman's (PHSO)  investigation into the death of a young woman with anorexia.

PHSO has admitted to multiple failings in how it handled a three-and-a-half year investigation into the systemic failings by NHS providers in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk which led to the death of Averil Hart in 2012.

The findings come as a senior coroner in Cambridgeshire investigates whether there are links between the failures in Averil’s care and that of four other women with an eating disorder who were under the care of the same services.

The PHSO’s failings have been revealed in an internal review, published today, which ruled the regulator’s investigation took too long and should’ve been completed in half the time.

It also found “insufficient” resource was allocated to the Averil’s investigation, despite staff requesting it, which led to significant delays.

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Source: HSJ, 10 January 2020