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Patient Safety Learning

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  1. Patient Safety Learning
    All adults with a learning disability will be offered the vaccine against coronavirus after new advice from government experts warned they were at greater risk from the virus.
    The decision is a major win for disability charities and campaigners. The decision will mean as many as 150,000 more people could be offered the vaccine.
    The government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has issued new advice saying any adult on GP Learning Disability Register should be prioritised for vaccination along with adults with related conditions such as cerebral palsy.
    The JCVI had previously said only those were severe learning disabilities and those living in care homes should be prioritised for vaccinations. Disability rights campaigners and charities warned this left vulnerable people at increased risk from the virus.
    Read full story
    Source: The Independent, 24 February 2021
  2. Patient Safety Learning
    A children’s nurse who raised legitimate concerns over racial discrimination at a major London trust was suspended and victimised by her managers for doing so, an employment tribunal has ruled.
    Jeyran Panahian-Jand, who worked on a children’s ward at Whipps Cross Hospital, parts of Barts Health Trust, had raised concerns with her manager in 2019 that staff were divided on “racial lines”, with an “unfair allocation of work”, as well as bullying of two junior staff.
    Her manager Heather Roberts, as well as other superiors, told Ms Panahian-Jand she should raise a formal complaint, without offering to look at the issues raised and keep the complaint informal, which the tribunal said they should have done under whistleblowing policies.
    Ms Roberts later accused Ms Panahian-Jand, who identified as white, of continuing to talk about her allegations on the ward, and with the agreement of Ghislaine Stephenson, the associate director of nursing for children, Ms Panahian-Jand was suspended for the “disruption” and “upset” she was causing, the tribunal judgment said.
    Ms Panahnian-Jand then lodged a formal complaint over race discrimination, as well as accusing two other bank nurses of making “racially abusive” remarks. A subsequent internal investigation supported three allegations of race discrimination made by Ms Panahian-Jand, while a separate probe into her own alleged misconduct found there was no case to answer.
    Read full story (paywalled)
    Source: HSJ, 23 February 2021
  3. Patient Safety Learning
    NHSX has launched a ‘simpler and faster’ technology assessment process to help healthcare providers pick digital tools that meet NHS standards.
    The new digital technology assessment criteria provides NHS and social care teams with guidance to decide which tools to use or to recommend to patients. NHS organisations, national bodies and social care will be encouraged to apply the DTAC when considering any form of digital health technology procurement.
    NHSX described DTAC as “a new simpler and faster assessment process to help give staff, patients and the public confidence that the digital health tools they use meet NHS standards”, adding it “is a rapid process that can be completed in days”.
    It has previously taken as long as two months for tools to go through assessment processes. 
    The guidance brings together legislation and best practice across five areas. Tools will receive a pass or fail score in the first four categories — clinical safety, data protection, technical security and interoperability — and an additional percentage score for usability and accessibility. 
    Read full story (paywalled)
    Source: HSJ, 23 February 2021
  4. Patient Safety Learning
    A national safety watchdog has been forced to release almost 100 pieces of evidence, including names of NHS staff, after being ordered to by courts.
    A freedom of information request, submitted by HSJ, has revealed the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) has been required to release 93 interviews with staff, family members and external experts, along with their identities, over the last two years. 
    The interviews, which relate to HSIB investigations involving hospital trusts across England, were released to coroner’s courts through eight separate orders dating from February 2019.
    A further four court orders compelled HSIB to release other information to coroners, including reports into trusts, findings of internal panel reviews, and evidence from external experts. The orders were made under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.
    When HSJ asked whether any NHS staff or family members were named in open court, HSIB said it was “not able to comment on specific instances”, but added that all those whose evidence was shared with the coroners were notified in advance.
    Read full story (paywalled)
    Source: HSJ, 23 February 2021
  5. Patient Safety Learning
    About 31,000 women in London are being offered "do-it-at-home" tests to check for early warnings of cervical cancer, as part of an NHS trial.
    It could be a way to encourage more women to get screened, experts hope.
    Embarrassment, cultural barriers and worries about Covid, along with many other factors, can stop women going for smear tests at a clinic or GP surgery.
    Smear-test delays during the pandemic prompted calls for home-screening kits from cervical cancer charities. The swabbing involves using a long, thin cotton bud to take a sample from inside the vagina, which is then sent by post for testing.
    If the results reveal an infection called human papillomavirus (HPV) they will be invited to their GP for a standard smear test to closely examine the cells of their cervix.
    Dr Anita Lim, from King's College London, who is leading the YouScreen trial, said: "Women who don't come for regular screening are at the highest risk of developing cervical cancer.
    "So it is crucial that we find ways like this to make screening easier and protect women from what is a largely preventable cancer. Self-sampling is a game-changer."
    Read full story
    Source: BBC News, 24 February 2021
  6. Patient Safety Learning
    The NHS has been warned not to use or distribute a batch of high-grade face masks after government officials warned they may not meet safety standards.
    The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said it had “received urgent information” suggesting the items did not meet UK government specifications.
    Hospital bosses and others including GPs have been told to stop using the FT-045A FFP3 masks, quarantine any remaining supplies and then track down any they might have sent on to other health providers through mutual aid schemes.
    DHSC said it was pausing further distribution while a rapid review was carried out. Some 1.12 million masks are affected, the department said.
    DHSC’s warning document told health bosses: “Please be assured that we are working with regional teams and providers to fit-test staff to alternative models and provide of them with alternative masks in the quantities needed. We have a good supply of other FFP3 masks.”
    Rob Harwood, consultants committee chairman of the British Medical Association, told the BBC: “Healthcare staff working on the frontline do so facing the grave risk of contracting Covid, and deserve the best protection from this deadly virus."
    “Many will be incredibly concerned to learn that some masks designed to offer enhanced protection, as well as gloves, may not meet standards, potentially placing them at greater risk.”
    Read full story
    Source: The Independent, 24 February 2021
  7. Patient Safety Learning
    Local groups of GPs have decided to prioritise all patients with learning disabilities for COVID-19 vaccination, after fresh evidence showed that disabled patients were at much higher risk from the disease.
    Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics1 showed that 60% of people in England who died from covid-19 from January to November 2020 (30 296 of 50 888) had a disability.
    This week an extra 1.7 million people in England—including some with severe learning disabilities—are being added to the list of people identified as clinically extremely vulnerable to COVID-19, although this does not include people with mild or moderate learning disabilities. But some clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have deviated from national guidance and said that they will prioritise all patients with learning disabilities for vaccination given the disproportionate impact on them.
    In a statement published on its website, Kent and Medway CCG said that it had decided to include all adults with learning disabilities in the current priority phase for vaccination delivery. “Given the evidence of covid-19 inequalities increasing deaths amongst people with learning disabilities, the NHS in Kent and Medway has agreed to prioritise vaccinating the 9500 people on GP learning disability registers,” it said.
    Oxfordshire CCG was also praised by local campaigners for adjusting its priority list so that everybody with a learning disability is included in priority group 6, regardless of its severity.
    Read full story
    Source: BMJ, 19 February 2021
  8. Patient Safety Learning
    People living with HIV in England and Wales can now choose to have their Covid vaccine through specialist clinics, without notifying their GP.
    NHS England has updated its guidance for people not comfortable with sharing their status. 
    Everyone with HIV should be in vaccine priority groups four or six, and offered a jab by mid-April at the latest. But campaigners worried stigma would cause some to miss out.
    The updated guidance, obtained by the i newspaper, follows the lead of NHS Wales which put the same measures in place last week.
    Head of leading HIV charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, Ian Green, said: "Some may be surprised to hear that a significant number of people living with HIV feel unable to talk to their GP about their HIV status, but this underlines how much stigma still surrounds the virus even in 2021."
    "This is great news and the right decision from the NHS as it means people living with HIV will be able to take up the potentially life-saving Covid-19 vaccine at their earliest opportunity. We are working towards a society where everyone living with HIV feels comfortable sharing their status with their doctor and other health professionals, but we're not there yet and we welcome this fast, pragmatic action."
    Read full story
    Source: BBC News, 22 February 2021
  9. Patient Safety Learning
    People who need to receive their covid vaccinations at home are missing out because their eligibility is not being recognised by GPs, experts have warned.
    There have been numerous reports of housebound people being told they are ineligible for a home visit in recent weeks, with some home care providers saying only a minority of their elderly clients have been vaccinated so far.
    Chit Selvarajah, policy manager at the charity Independent Age, said: “We have heard from people who say they are housebound being told they weren’t considered as housebound and told to go to a vaccination centre as they are not eligible for a home visit."
    “We don’t know how many people have been vaccinated but it’s likely to be very small numbers at the moment.”
    Ruthe Isden, head of health and care influencing at Age UK, believes some older people have “slipped into being effectively housebound” over the last year, and are not yet registered as such on GP databases.
    She said: “The pandemic has hit the fast forward button on ageing for a lot of people. They’ve aged a long way in a short period and seen their health really deteriorate, and often they are not going to proactively identify themselves as needing more help."
    “It’s vital we are thinking systematically about reaching this group. At the moment, there seems to be considerable variation in how people are followed up.”
    Read full story (paywalled)
    Source: HSJ, 22 February 2021
  10. Patient Safety Learning
    Patient positivity about NHS hospital services suffered a sharp drop during the autumn, and satisfaction with access is now well below pre-pandemic levels, according to analysis exclusively shared with HSJ.
    The analysis of social media and online sentiment by PEP Health appears to show that a surge of goodwill towards the health service during the first covid peak last spring dissipated last autumn.
    At that time, the first-wave peak had passed, but hospitals were getting a lot busier — with more emergency attendances, and efforts to get planned appointments and procedures back close to normal levels. Emergency departments were coming under strain, coping with infection control measures, and large numbers of very long waits for elective care had built up. 
    The drop in positive feeling towards NHS hospitals was particularly felt between October and January, especially with concerns over the speed of access to health services. The work only covers acute hospital services. 
    One hospital chief executive told HSJ the change in patient sentiment was palpable at the frontline. “There is quite a lot of chippiness from patients and relatives. The ‘we love the NHS’ feels a very long lost memory.
    “We see a lot of chippiness to staff, and aggression and irritability — which is understandable because everyone’s been waiting a long time — but is really unhelpful because everyone [staff are] knackered and trying to do their best.”
    Read full story (paywalled)
    Source: HSJ, 22 February 2021
  11. Patient Safety Learning
    Scientists have developed a genetic test to predict whether someone will develop a common type of blood cancer.
    The breakthrough could lead to potential patients being warned about the risk of progressive Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) and boost their chances of survival.
    CLL affects the white blood cells and tends to develop slowly over many years, mostly affecting those aged over 60. By studying blood samples of people with CLL, researchers found they often had the same "genetic tendency" to develop progressive forms of the illness.
    The team, from eight UK universities and the Institute for Cancer Research, said their work would help doctors "move towards a more personalised diagnosis of leukaemia".
    Haematology consultant Dr David Allsup, who is also a senior lecturer at Hull York Medical School, said: "Not only does the research inform us if patients have the genetic tendency to develop progressive CLL, but it also enables us to determine whether or not a patient's CLL will require treatment in the future or not."
    "That way, we are able to keep a close eye on the patients with a high risk, and have treatment options available as soon as they are required."
    Professor James Allan, from Newcastle University's Centre for Cancer, said: "Emerging evidence suggests that early treatment for patients at high risk of developing progressive CLL could significantly delay the onset of symptomatic leukaemia and improve survival."
    Read full story
    Source: The Independent, February 9 F2021
  12. Patient Safety Learning
    Over the past year, our NHS has risen to the challenges of the pandemic. But it’s been a very close-run thing. There have been well-publicised difficulties such as the shortage of ventilators, ICU beds and PPE, and the physical and staffing capacity of the health service has been strained to breaking point.
    GPs have managed the risks to patients who have been unable to receive specialist care. We now face a growing backlog of postponed treatments and emerging mental health issues. So if we were to imagine a post-Covid NHS, toughened by the challenges of the pandemic but better prepared for the future, what would it look like?
    To ensure the health service is capable of meeting the challenges it will face in the next decade and beyond, it will require both structural and local reforms. The word “reform” triggers unease among many NHS professionals, who have been subject to numerous reorganisations over the years and have witnessed efforts being diverted into reforms at the expense of improving patient care. While some of the changes in the recent NHS white paper seem sensible, their effectiveness will depend on the final detail.
    To ensure the focus remains on patients, all policy reforms and local changes should convincingly pass at least one of these six tests:
    Will they reduce demand on the NHS by preventing disease or improving wellbeing? Will they speed up the time between a patient seeking help and receiving treatment? Will they enhance patient safety before, during or after treatment? Will they enable better clinical outcomes? Will they provide better taxpayer value? And will they reduce the inequality of access that has resulted in some groups receiving less care than others? Read full story
    Source: The Guardian, 18 February 2021
  13. Patient Safety Learning
    Today is an anniversary that George Hencken never imagined. It is exactly one year since she caught COVID-19. But unlike most people who have suffered from the disease, she remains ill.
    “It’s a year since I’ve felt like myself,” she said. “It’s a year since my life as I knew it came to an end. And I don’t know if I’m going to get it back again.”
    Long Covid doesn’t quite describe the depths of her fatigue. “It’s not tiredness. It’s like having jet lag and a hangover. It feels like I’ve been poisoned,” she said.
    The problem for Hencken and the thousands still suffering from the virus months later is that long Covid doesn’t describe much at all.
    The umbrella term covers people who are breathless and fatigued, or who have brain fog, headaches and tingling arms, or who have chest pains and heart palpitations, or all of those and dozens more symptoms besides.
    Support groups such as LongCovidSOS have been fighting hard for the condition to be recognised and taken seriously – sufferers say they feel disbelieved, and doctors initially had little information, support or even funding.
    Last week the government announced £18.5m through the National Institute for Health Research to fund four major studies attempting to understand exactly what long Covid means, why it affects so many apparently healthy people, and how they can be helped. Research by University College London will track the health of 60,000 people, including people with long Covid and a control group who will wear a Fitbit-style wristband to measure heart rate, breathing and exercise levels.
    The aim is to chart and identify clusters of symptoms, Professor Nishi Chaturvedi said. “My sense is that the multiplicity of symptoms that people are reporting suggests to me and many others that it’s not one thing, but several syndromes. We’re not even at the starting point yet of knowing what it is,” she said.
    Read full story
    Source: The Guardian, 20 February 2021
  14. Patient Safety Learning
    A man who was treated with imported blood products in the 1980s became the first haemophiliac in the UK to test HIV positive and die of Aids, an inquiry has heard.
    Kevin Slater, from Cwmbran, was 20 when he developed Aids in 1983 the Infected Blood Inquiry has been told. He was not informed that he had been diagnosed with the condition for at least 18 months and died in 1985. Records show it was recommended that the diagnosis be kept from him.
    The UK-wide inquiry is looking into what has been described as the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS.
    Haemophilia is a blood condition which affects the clotting of blood in those affected. In the 1980s some of the blood products used to treat the condition were infected with HIV.
    The inquiry heard there were about 100 haemophiliac patients in Wales at the time.
    Mr Slater's sister-in-law Lynda Maule said she does not believe he was ever told he had Aids.
    "He was treated disgustingly," she told the inquiry. "There was no care, nothing.
    Read full story
    Source: BBC News, 2 February 2021
  15. Patient Safety Learning
    The NHS is setting up dozens of mental health hubs to help staff who have been left traumatised by treating Covid patients during the pandemic.
    There is mounting concern that large numbers of frontline workers have experienced mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder over the last year.
    NHS personnel will be able to ring one of the 40 new hubs in England, receive advice and be referred for support from psychologists, mental health nurses, therapists and recovery workers.
    Frontline workers who are struggling with their mental health will be encouraged to use the service, and hub staff will call workers deemed at highest risk directly to offer their help. Higher-risk groups are likely to include those who work in intensive care, on Covid wards and in A&E units.
    Almost half of doctors, nurses and other ICU staff have reported symptoms of PTSD, severe depression or anxiety, according to research published last month. Of these, about 40% had probable PTSD – far higher than the rates seen among military veterans.
    Sir Simon Stevens, NHS England’s chief executive, announced the hubs in an interview with the House magazine. They are being set up at locations across England including Bedfordshire, Lancashire and north-east London. A handful are already in operation.
    Read full story
    Source: The Guardian, 22 February 2021
  16. Patient Safety Learning
    The COVID-19 vaccines deployed in the UK substantially reduce the risk of hospital admission, real-world data from Scotland has shown.
    Four weeks after receiving a first dose, both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca jabs cut hospitalisation with the disease by up to 85 and 94%, respectively.
    Among those aged 80 years and over – one of the most vulnerable groups – the two vaccines were associated with a combined 81% reduction in hospitalisation risk.
    Scientists from the University of Edinburgh, the University of Strathclyde, and Public Health Scotland gathered vaccine data between 8 December and 15 February, during which 1.14 million doses were administered among the Scottish population.
    Researchers analysed data for every week during the study – including GP records on vaccination, hospital admissions, death registrations and laboratory test results – and compared the outcomes of those who had received their first jab with those who had not.
    Lead researcher Professor Aziz Sheikh said: "These results are very encouraging and have given us great reasons to be optimistic for the future. We now have national evidence – across an entire country – that vaccination provides protection against Covid-19 hospitalisations."
    Read full story
    Source: The Independent, 22 February 2021
  17. Patient Safety Learning
    Staff at one of England’s largest hospital trusts have been threatened with disciplinary and regulatory action if they attempt to get their second COVID-19 vaccine dose early, HSJ has learned
    In an all staff email today, University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust said: “Any staff trying to obtain a second dose ahead of their booked sessions could be considered deliberately attempting to deceive the NHS in order to obtain medicines and, as such will be a professional conduct issue which may result in disciplinary action and/or regulatory action being taken against you.
    The new note indicates the FT may have had a particular problem with staff seeking and/or getting second doses.
    The email said that if they attended vaccination centres, staff would be refused a second dose, and be asked to leave. Staff were also asked not to try and book another appointment at a different vaccination centre or “re-enter” the system through over means.
    The email added: “The current supply of vaccines is allocated to us to ensure all priority groups can receive their first dose and provide protection to as many as possible.”
    In December the trust’s executives were heavily criticised by unions for getting their first vaccine doses, after patients didn’t show up for appointments. The trust, which has been dealing with very large numbers of covid patients especially in intensive care, has also been the subject of concerns over culture and management in recent months.
    Read full story (paywalled)
    Source: HSJ, 20 February 2021
  18. Patient Safety Learning
    Some pregnant women who have had gestational diabetes say a change to shielding advice in England has caused confusion. 
    Some have been told to stay at home while others have not, based on a new algorithm which calculates an individual's risk from Covid. It identified an extra 1.7 million people as extremely clinically vulnerable in England this week. They will now be prioritised for a Covid vaccine.
    NHS England says not everyone with the same condition will be advised to shield but suggests people contact their GP to discuss their individual case.
    Heather Davis Mahoney, from Hertfordshire, had gestational diabetes while carrying her second child, and was monitored closely during her third pregnancy. She has not been told to shield, but says it's worrying when others from similar backgrounds have been told they should.
    "There's been an explosion of confusion. People don't know what's going on and are worried about putting themselves and their babies at risk," she says.
    But GP Dr David Triska said just because someone has gestational diabetes or had it in the past, doesn't mean they should be shielding. "I think the major point of confusion is that people are expecting that this is a binary 'yes' or 'no' per condition algorithm - and it is not," he said.
    "The reason why people are getting different answers from various sources is because this is an individual risk assessment."
    Read full story
    Source: BBC News, 20 February 2021
     
  19. Patient Safety Learning
    A new COVID vaccine efficacy study from Israel has concluded that Pfizer/BioNTech's jab is up to 85% effective after the first dose.
    The research, conducted by the Sheba Medical Centre, the country's largest hospital, has been published in the Lancet medical journal.
    The hospital assessed the effectiveness of the first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine among 7,000 of its healthcare employees. The workers each received their first dose in January and the research team observed an 85% reduction of clinical (symptomatic) COVID-19 between 15 and 28 days after the jab.
    But critically, they also observed efficacy in asymptomatic patients.
    The study found that all infections, including asymptomatic, were reduced by 75% after the first dose.
    Professor Eyal Leshem, an infectious disease expert and director of Sheba's Institute for Travel and Tropical Medicine, told Sky News: "This is first real-world evidence of effectiveness that shows up after the first dose of the vaccine."
    Read full story
    Source: Sky News, 19 February 2021
  20. Patient Safety Learning
    Three in 10 care home staff have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 despite being in the top four priority groups, according to data from NHS England.
    More than 435,000 workers in care homes for older adults are eligible in England, but only 304,600 have received a first dose.
    In London, only 52% of staff have had a jab, rising to 75% in the South West.
    The UK target of vaccinating 15 million people was met at the weekend. However, these figures, up to 14 February, suggest there are large groups of care workers, who are in the top four priority groups, who have still not come forward.
    Some care home staff have previously said they refused the vaccine because of "cultural issues", but organisations representing care providers say they must be convinced to have one - to protect them and the services they work in.
    Read full story
    Source: BBC News, 18 February 2021
  21. Patient Safety Learning
    The NHS is increasing efforts to reach out to ethnic minority communities in more deprived areas of England as analysis by The Independent shows poorer areas are vaccinating fewer at-risk people.
    Among the most deprived parts of the country, fewer people aged over 80 and in their mid-70s had received their first dose of vaccine against coronavirus by 7 February when compared with more affluent areas, sparking concerns communities most at risk are being left vulnerable.
    Comparing local NHS vaccination data with Public Health England’s deprivation scores for each NHS region reveals six of the most deprived parts of England were in the bottom 10 local areas for vaccine uptake among the over-80s and those aged over 75.
    The worst performing NHS region was East London, with just 73& cent of over-80s vaccinated by 7 February. East London was also one of the worst-affected areas during the second wave of the virus as hospitals became overwhelmed early on in the crisis.
    Dave Finch, a senior fellow at the Health Foundation, said: “Lower vaccine uptake in the most deprived areas is worrying as these areas have seen some of the very highest Covid-19 death rates. A higher likelihood of having poorer pre-existing health increases their risk of more severe symptoms if they do get the virus. And people living in poorer areas are increasingly showing signs of intense financial hardship as a result of lockdown measures."
    “The government must prioritise understanding why vaccine uptake has been lower in these areas and take urgent, targeted action to address this. However, in the longer term, there must be a focus on investing across the UK to address major health inequalities in order protect everyone’s health and wellbeing.”
    Read full story
    Source: The Independent, 18 February 2021
  22. Patient Safety Learning
    Government plans to cut off funding for hospital discharge at the end of March will slow down the NHS recovery of planned care, and threatens ‘distress’ for families asked to quickly take over patients’ care.
    Since the pandemic began the Department of Health and Social Care has funded measures to smooth discharge from hospital, to help free up capacity. From September last year this was via a £588m national pot for up to six weeks’ funded care and support after discharge. 
    But a letter from NHS England director of community health Matthew Winn last week confirmed the funding will cease at the end of March, with local NHS organisations or councils liable for the continued funding of discharge packages in the 2021-22 financial year.
    Jennifer Burns, president of the British Geriatrics Society (BGS), which has previously written to the government to urge an extension of the scheme, told HSJ: “The BGS is incredibly concerned… The disappearance of funding for care in the six-week period after discharge creates a cliff edge in the very near future. We urge the government to reconsider this decision and commit to recurrent discharge funding in the upcoming Budget.”
    Miriam Deakin, NHS Providers director of policy and strategy, said the government’s funding had “played a crucial role in freeing up hospital beds [and] managing capacity”, despite the delays caused by other parts of the system during the coronavirus winter surge. 
    Ms Deakin warned: “Trust leaders are keen to see this funding continue in the longer term. This new way of working does not come without a financial cost, particularly for community services and their staff who are now much more thinly stretched, supporting patients with a wider range of more complex needs at home and in other community settings. We would therefore urge government to continue discharge to assess funding from April 2021.” 
    Read full story (paywalled)
    Source: HSJ, 18 February 2021
  23. Patient Safety Learning
    Scotland's biggest health board should be put in "special measures" over its handling of hospital infection issues, according to an MSP.
    Anas Sarwar made the call after a mother accused NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) of covering up possible factors in her daughter's death.Mr Sarwar said the health board had tried to intimidate health service whistleblowers who had raised concerns.
    NHSGGC said the source of the child's infection could not be determined.
    Earlier this week a whistleblower revealed that a doctor-led review had identified 26 infections at Glasgow's Royal Hospital for Children in 2017 which were potentially linked to problems with the water supply.
    Kimberly Darroch, whose daughter Milly Main died at the hospital in August 2017 while in remission from leukaemia, said health officials gave her no inkling that contaminated water could have been a factor.
    Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has said the first she knew of Milly's death was when Ms Darroch emailed her about her concerns in September.
    NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has offered to meet the family to discuss their concerns - but said it was impossible to accurately determine the source of Milly's infection because there was no requirement for water testing at the time.
    It said the hospital's water had been independently assessed as safe, and it criticised the whistleblower for causing "stress and anxiety" for Milly's parents when there was no evidence of a link.
    Anas Sarwar, however, insisted the health board had let down both patients and staff.
    He said: "There was an attempted cover-up of Milly's death, and there are still dozens of families who don't know the truth about infections contracted in the QEUH."
    Read full story
    Source: BBC News, 16 February 2021
  24. Patient Safety Learning
    Boris Johnson is being urged to launch a compensation scheme for frontline workers who are suffering from the long-term effects of coronavirus.
    The all-party parliamentary group on coronavirus said the prime minister should recognise long Covid as an occupational disease, saying some sufferers have found it hard to return to work. 
    A letter, signed by more than 60 MPs and peers, has been sent to Johnson.
    Layla Moran, the APPG’s chair, said: “Long Covid is the hidden health crisis of the pandemic, and it is likely to have an enormous impact on society for many years to come.
    “When it comes to frontline NHS, care and key workers, they were specifically asked to go to work and save lives while everyone else was asked to stay at home."
    “They were exposed to an increased level of risk of catching the virus, often without adequate levels of PPE.”
    The group wants the government to follow France, Germany, Belgium and Denmark, which have formally recognised Covid as an “occupational disease”.
    Read full story
    Source: The Guardian, 18 February 2021
  25. Patient Safety Learning
    The Care Quality Commission has ordered immediate improvements to a trust after it reported six never events inside eight months.
    The watchdog has issued a warning notice to Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust after it carried out an announced inspection which focused on the trust’s surgical care group – where six never events had occurred between February and October last year.
    In November, HSJ reported that a total of eight never events had been recorded in 2020, with trust chief executive Kate Shields saying it had raised fears the trust had not fully embedded safety improvements initiated as part of the special measures regime.
    The inspectors visited three of the trust’s sites where the never events had happened. These were: Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, St Michael’s Hospital in Hayle and West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance.
    The inspectors reported that governance processes were “not effective enough” to ensure that changes were made across the trust, and that lessons from incidents and near misses were “not shared with the whole team and wider service to ensure patient safety”.
    Their report also stated the trust’s safety checklist for surgical procedures had improved but was not fully compliant with the World Health Organisation’s standards.
    However, the CQC found staff apologised and provided patients with information when things had gone wrong, and that there was an open culture in which staff felt able to raise concerns.
    Read full story (paywalled)
    Source: HSJ, 17 February 2021
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