Francis report author becomes Patients Association president
pharmafile | November 28, 2013 | News story | Sales and Marketing | Mid Staffs, NHS, robert francis, scandal
The author of a damning report into failings at the Staffordshire hospital has become the new president of the Patients Association.
Robert Francis QC will assume the post immediately, which has been intentionally vacant since the death of former president Claire Rayner.
Speaking about the appointment Katherine Murphy, the Patients Association chief executive, said: “We are the only organisation that has been consistent in our arguments that the recommendations made by the Francis Inquiry should be implemented in full. We are therefore honoured that Mr Francis has agreed to take up the position of president.”
The £13 million Francis inquiry that was named after its chair who specialises in the NHS and medical negligence, was published in February and was the fifth major investigation into the Staffordshire Hospital scandal.
Data showed that there were between 400 and 1,200 more deaths than would have been expected between 2005 and 2008 at the hospital, prompting a series of inquiries.
His enquiry recommended that hospital staff and managers should face prosecution if patients are harmed or killed as a result of poor care.
Francis made 290 recommendations in all to help change the NHS culture to ensure this doesn’t happen again – the government said earlier this month that they would accept 281 of these, including prosecuting those who were wilfully negligent.
Francis praised the Patients Association for being ‘ardent campaigners’ and promised he would be doing his best to continue the ‘invaluable work’.
“The experiences of patients and relatives remain the best way to detect care that is being delivered without care and compassion,” he continued.
“Let us all hope that in the near future we will stop having to listen to disturbing reports of poor and unsafe care in many different places and instead be looking at a service which has learned from the mistakes, and has ensured that the excellent practice we know exists has become the norm.”
Patients’ stories
Francis’s appointment to the UK’s most high-profile patient group has also coincided with the group publishing its annual dossier of patient stories.
The 14 case studies detail ‘shocking’ examples of poor care which include lapses in both hospitals and nursing homes.
Common themes include patients not getting the help they needed eating, drinking or going to the toilet, being treated with a lack of dignity and having delays in their treatment.
Royal College of Nursing general secretary Peter Carter said the cases highlighted by the Patients Association were ‘deeply shocking’.
He added: “This report comes at the end of a tumultuous year for the health service. It is vital that the reports and reviews we have seen this year do not simply gather dust, and it would be unforgivable if this opportunity to learn and make improvements for patients was missed.”
Ben Adams
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