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News ArticleMinisters have been accused of “knowingly exposing” NHS and private patients to safety risks after delaying again a full response to the inquiry into the Ian Paterson scandal. Victims of rogue surgeon Ian Paterson, who was jailed in 2017 for carrying out unnecessary surgery on patients, told The Independent there was a “clear and present danger” of similar crimes being committed without urgent action being taken. On Tuesday, the government released a partial response to an independent inquiry, led by Reverend Graham James, which reported in February last year. It revealed Paterson was able to carry out unnecessary surgery on more than 1,000 patients over a 14 year period due to a “dysfunctional” health system and the wilful blindness of managers. The government response addressed only three recommendations directly with ministers promising a full response later this year. David Rowland, director at the Centre for Health and the Public Interest criticised the lack of action as the NHS sends more patients to private hospitals in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Read full story Source: The Independent, 23 March 2021
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News ArticlePatients with learning disabilities were pushed and dragged across the floor while others had their arms trapped in doors by staff working at a private hospital, the care watchdog has found. The Care Quality Commission said instances of abuse caught on CCTV had now been reported to police and staff working at St John’s House, near Diss in Norfolk, have been suspended. Police have said no further action will be taken. The regulator has rated the home, part of The Priory Group, inadequate and put it into special measures after inspectors found a string of failures at the 49-bed home during an inspection in December. According to the CQC’s report, inspectors reviewed CCTV footage of seven patient safety incidents between August and December last year. This showed “issues such as prolonged use of prone restraint, a patient being dragged across the floor despite attempting to drop their weight, a patient being pushed over and the seclusion room door trapping a patients arm and making contact with a patient’s head when closed”. The report said that although some staff had been suspended the hospital had not reported all the incidents to the police or the local council. It added: “Following CQC raising this as a concern, the provider has now reported incidents to the police, the safeguarding team and has suspended further staff pending investigation.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 5 March 2021
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News ArticleSome NHS dental patients have been asked to pay for private care "if they want any treatment", according to a watchdog. Others are facing waits of up to two years for an NHS appointment, Healthwatch England has warned. One patient was in so much pain he decided to extract his own teeth, said its chairman Sir Robert Francis QC. The NHS said over 650 urgent dental hubs have been set up so patients can access a dentist. Hundreds of people contacted Healthwatch England between October and December last year complaining about dentistry issues. A briefing document from the watchdog said that "a lack of NHS dentist appointments" remains the most common issue - with people asked to wait for up to two years. Read full story Source: BBC News, 8 February 2021
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News Article‘Surge’ clauses allowing the NHS to again take over private hospitals — as it did in the spring — have been triggered in some areas, HSJ has learned. An email from NHS England to private hospitals in London, seen by HSJ, was sent last week, triggered a seven-day notice period under NHSE’ covid contracts with the providers. The letter said the London region had requested the move after taking into account “critical care capacity, the doubling rate [and the] forecast acute admission rate related to local prevalence.” The letter refers to the north central London health system, but HSJ understands similar arrangements have been triggered for north east London. The two areas have a combined population of 3.9m people and have been some of the hardest hit by covid admissions. The clause is also thought to have been triggered in other parts of south east England, but it is not known which ones. The letter listed six hospitals, five owned by BMI Healthcare and one by Aspen Healthcare, which would, from Friday, commit “100 per cent” of their capacity to NHS use. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 20 January 2021
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News ArticlePrivate hospitals are ‘pushing back’ on requests from NHS trusts to send them more NHS patients, following a change to the national contract with the independent sector, and amid high pressure from COVID-19. Manchester University Foundation Trust, one of the largest NHS providers, has reported difficulties in accessing capacity at its local Spire, BMI and Ramsay hospitals this month. It comes as the NHS is facing “unthinkable” pressures from coronavirus patients, with dozens of hospitals on the brink of being overwhelmed. Throughout most of 2020, the bulk of private providers in England were on a national block contract whereby the NHS could use as much capacity as it needed. But a new contract, agreed with oversight from the Treasury last month, is now in place between January and April, and only offers trusts a minimum volume of activity which equates to activity provided in October and November. Pressures on the NHS have since intensified to unprecedented levels, with many areas now in far greater need of the private capacity than they were two months ago. And there appears to be a misunderstanding or lack of clarity in some areas about the extent to which they can now call on private capacity. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 13 January 2021
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News Article
NHS waits: More people feeling forced into private healthcare
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
"To be put in a position where you're basically begging off people, it's infuriating." Last October, 12-year-old Hayden Kildea was diagnosed with severe scoliosis, a condition where the spine twists and curves to the side. Left untreated, it can become a dangerous and life-limiting condition. The Kildeas, who live in Strabane, Northern Ireland, say they were told Hayden would need urgent surgery - but that because of the backlog caused by the pandemic, he would have to wait more than two years. His mum Shauna found a clinic in Turkey that was able to carry out the operation immediately, but it would cost £50,000 - money the family didn't have. So in the summer, they turned to crowdfunding and campaigning to raise the money. Millions of people across the UK are currently on NHS waiting lists - in Northern Ireland there are over 465,000 people, while in England, 5.6m are queuing for treatment. Data shared with BBC Panorama shows that on average, waiting lists have grown by 50% in the most deprived parts of England since the start of the pandemic, compared with nearly 35% in the most affluent areas. The research, conducted by the King's Fund, also shows that people on waiting lists in poorer areas are nearly twice as likely as those in wealthier areas to wait more than one year for treatment. The Health and Social Care Board in Northern Ireland said patient demand continued "to exceed capacity across a range of specialties". It added: "As a result, even before the pandemic, the number of people waiting longer than the target waiting times was increasing." Read full story Source: BBC News, 27 September 2021 -
News ArticleNew data indicates the dental crisis shows no signs of slowing, with four in five people (80%) struggling to access timely care during the last COVID-19 lockdown. Access to NHS dental care continues to be a problem for people across England, with Healthwatch recording a 22% rise in calls and complaints about dentistry between January and March 2021. A review of 1,375 people’s experiences shared with Healthwatch found a lack of consistency across the country when it comes to accessing a dental appointment. Whilst some people were asked to wait an unreasonable time of up to three years for an NHS appointment, those able to afford private care could get an appointment within a week. Healthwatch are calling for greater ambition and urgency from NHS dental reform plans to create more equitable and affordable dental care. Imelda Redmond CBE, National Director of Healthwatch England, said: “The twin crisis of access and affordability hitting NHS dentistry means many people are not able to access timely care – and the poorest are hardest hit. Those human stories show that oral health is a social justice and equity issue." Read full story Source: Healthwatch, 24 May 2021
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News Article
People in England ‘face three-year waits for dentist appointments’
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
People are being told to wait until 2024 for dentist appointments while others are being removed from their practice lists for not making appointments sooner, according to a damning report into the state of dentistry. Dental surgeries have reported that they have thousands of people on their waiting lists, while patients are unable to access care after ringing round numerous dental surgeries, a watchdog has warned. Delays have resulted in the worsening of painful symptoms and in one instance even led to a patient needing hospital treatment after overdosing on painkillers, it said. But Healthwatch England said that some people are being offered swift private care as an alternative at the same dental practice, with some patients reporting that they felt pressured to pay for their treatment. Some practices appeared to be prioritising private care, it added. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 24 May 2021 -
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Content ArticleThis observational study in The Lancet Public Health analysed the effects of outsourcing health services to private, for-profit providers. The authors evaluated the impact of outsourced spending to private providers on treatable mortality rates and the quality of healthcare services in England, following the 2012 Health and Social Care Act. The authors found that: an annual increase of one percentage point of outsourcing to the private for-profit sector corresponded with an annual increase in treatable mortality of 0·38% in the following year. changes to for-profit outsourcing since 2014 were associated with an additional 557 treatable deaths across the 173 CCGs in England. They conclude that private sector outsourcing corresponded with significantly increased rates of treatable mortality, potentially as a result of a decline in the quality of health-care services.
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Content ArticleStep Change in Safety is a member-led organisation which is working to make the UKCS the safest oil and gas province in the world in which to work. The safety of the workforce always comes first. Through collaboration, sharing knowledge and adopting best practices, workforce safety in the UKCS can be continually improved and Step Change in Safety are at the forefront in delivering that. Take a look at Step Change in Safety's resources and see how they could apply to healthcare.
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Content ArticleUnequal distribution of Covid-19 antivirals means patients are buying pills online that may not be safe when taken without medical supervision, Gabriel G Plata reports in this BMJ investigation.
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Content ArticleAn investigation started on 9 October 2020 into the death of Matthew Alexander Caseby. Following his admission and subsequent absconsion from the Priory Hospital in Edgbaston, Matthew stepped in front of a train on the 8 September 2020 and was fatally injured. At the time, Matthew was suffering from disorder thinking and did not have the capacity to form any intention to end his life. Matthew absconded from Beech ward over a fence in the courtyard area and at the time of his absconsion Matthew was unattended. It was inappropriate for Matthew to be left unattended in the courtyard. There were concerns regarding Matthew absconding but the recording processes on Beech ward were inadequate which resulted in the communication to staff involved in Matthew's care being lacking. As a result of risks not being fully recorded, Matthew's risk assessment was not adequate as it was not based on all of the available information. Overall, the inadequate risk assessment for Matthew, the inadequate documentation records, the lack of a risk assessment for the courtyard area and the absence of a policy regarding observations levels in the courtyard means that the courtyard was not safe for Matthew to use unattended. His death was contributed to by neglect on the part of the treating hospital.
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Content ArticleThis article and video tell the story of Rihan Neupane, a baby born prematurely in Dhapasi, Nepal, who was left in a vegetative state following a series of medical errors including a missed diagnosis of meningitis. His parents had chosen a private international hospital for their maternity care, but were let down by a series of medical errors including Rihan being mistakenly given a massive paracetamol overdose. Although external hospital safety inspectors found the hospital negligent on many counts, the hospital continued to deny any wrongdoing or responsibility for Rihan's condition. Rihan's father Sanjeev Neupane talks about his family's experience in the embedded video.
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Content Article
AvMA case study: Stuart's story
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Risk management and legal issues
This article tells the story of Stuart, who died as a result of medication errors while recovering from surgery at a private hospital in January 2013. Stuart had dystonia, an incurable condition that he managed by taking a careful balance of three medications. Following surgery to remove his larynx, the private neurological centre where he was staying ran out of clonazepam, a medication Stuart needed to control his dystonia. Stuart became very unwell, but instead of seeking advice from a doctor, the nurses treated his symptoms as a UTI. on 26 December he was found unresponsive in bed and rushed to ICU at a local hospital. but died a few weeks later from sever kidney and muscle damage. An inquest into Stuart's death found that the lack of clonazepam had caused an increase in Stuart’s muscle spasms, eventually leading to severe muscle and kidney damage. He then developed bronchopneumonia, which was the final factor in his death. -
Content ArticleThe Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Safeguarding Adults Review into The Morleigh Group has found elderly people in care homes in Cornwall were abused and neglected while failings led to reports of concerns not being investigated. The Morleigh Group operated seven homes in Cornwall and has since shut down. The review was completed in April 2019 but has only just been made public - Rob Rotchell, Cornwall Council Cabinet member for adult social care said that this was due to the number of agencies being involved.
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Content ArticleElderly people in care homes in Cornwall were abused and neglected while failings led to reports of concerns not being investigated, a new Safeguarding Adults Review has found. The Morleigh Group, which operated seven homes in Cornwall and has since shut down, was exposed in a BBC Panorama investigation in 2016. A new Safeguarding Adults Review which was commissioned as a result of the TV show has been published making a number of recommendations to all agencies which were involved in the case. The review was completed in April 2019 but has only just been made public - Rob Rotchell, Cornwall Council Cabinet member for adult social care said that this was due to the number of agencies being involved.
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Content Article
Are agency healthcare practitioners adequately covered to work in private hospitals?
Anonymous posted an article in Occupational health and safety
I would like to share with you my experience of an injury I sustained when working as an agency nurse doing bank shifts in a private hospital and highlight to colleagues the importance of knowing your entitlements when working for an Agency. Please make sure you are adequately covered for injury. -
Content ArticleWhen you are receiving treatment, it is important to feel that you are in safe hands. The Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN) website publishes information on a range of patient safety measures, including about serious safety incidents. One category of these are known as Never Events. Here we explain what Never Events are, why they are measured, and how you can use them when considering which hospital is right for you.explain what Never Events are, why they are measured, and how you can use them when considering which hospital is right for you.
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Content ArticleThe Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN) has published new information about serious patient safety incidents for private acute care. The data, covering the period 1 January 2019 to the 31 December 2019, show that 21 Never Events involving non-NHS (insured or self-pay) patients were reported.
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Content ArticleLack of transparency helped Ian Paterson to operate unchecked for years, according to inquiry The recent report of the Paterson Inquiry identified multiple levels of dysfunction across England’s health system. These allowed surgeon Ian Paterson to practise unchecked for many years, causing serious harm to thousands of patients. Among the less surprising of the failings is the lack of transparency in reporting activity and outcomes by the private hospitals where he worked. As the report notes, transparency is no panacea, but it is essential for protecting patients from harm. This BMJ editorial argues that urgent action is now needed to improve reporting by independent sector providers to bring them in line with standards in the NHS.
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Content Article
Acute Data Alignment Programme (ADAPt)
Claire Cox posted an article in Data and insight
The Acute Data Alignment Programme (ADAPt) is a joint programme between NHS Digital and the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN) which is looking to adopt common standards for data collections and performance measures across both the NHS and private healthcare. This will ensure that relevant information is consistently recorded and available so it can be more easily analysed and compared. -
Content ArticleThis report by the Center for Health and the Public Interest, brings together what is known about patient safety in private hospitals. It offers insights into the number of patient safety incidents in private hospitals, analyses the potential risks inherent in the way that these services operate, and makes recommendations to improve transparency in the private sector.
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Content ArticleThe Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected 65 services that provides solely cosmetic surgery and/or hair transplant surgery. This represents just under two thirds of those currently registered. Professor Ted Baker, CQC’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals has written to all independent cosmetic surgery providers. His letter highlights these emerging concerns and clarifies the standards of patient care that CQC expect and patients deserve. It also reminds providers of their responsibility to deliver safe and effective services.
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Content Article
Private hospitals can help the NHS recover from COVID-19
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Blogs
The pandemic has shown us health service transformation needs to go hand in hand with more beds and resources. The big challenge for all of us now is to to stand back and say: what has this taught us about the strengths and weaknesses of our healthcare system? What did we get right and wrong? The NHS has done an amazing job, proving itself very agile, very productive and very flexible. It’s been a process of constant learning. But there’s a very big backlog of people needing care, because we had this huge emptying out of hospitals and many NHS services were paused, notably elective surgery. Sir Jim Mackey, Chief Executive of Northumbria Healthcare NHS foundation trust and former Chief Executive of NHS Improvement, thinks private hospitals can help the NHS get on top of the backlog, to agreed standards and with the NHS paying. He tells the Guardian that it’s wrong that patients have to wait too long to get treatment and the public won’t care who provides that care.
