RCN responds to announcement of a public enquiry into Stafford Hospital failings

Published: 11 June 2010

For immediate release: Wednesday 9th June 2010

The RCN today (9 June) responded to the announcement of a public enquiry into why past failures in patient care at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust went undetected. Responding to the announcement by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary Dr Peter Carter, said:

“The events at Stafford hospital were particularly shocking, and it is vital that we have a full understanding of what went wrong. It’s right that Robert Francis QC has looked at how patient safety issues were addressed from the ward to the boardroom. However it’s also important that the local, regional and national bodies who should have been in a position to stop the problems are investigated. It is of great concern that unacceptable standards of care and a culture of fear and secrecy were allowed to continue unchecked by the Primary Care Trust, the Strategic Health Authority Monitor and other regulators. We hope that this inquiry will provide meaningful answers which can be used to learn lessons across the health service.

“We launched our whistle-blowing hotline so that staff could raise concerns over patient care where they work, and the RCN general election manifesto called for a guarantee to protect staff who speak out. Nurses are in a unique position to spot problems and listen to the concerns of patients, and I am very pleased that the government is to take action on this key nursing priority.

“It is now crucial that this inquiry can get to the truth of what happened without disrupting the hospital. Staff are working hard to deliver good care and sustain the progress that the hospital is making.”

Ends

Notes for Editors

For further information, interviews or illustrations please contact the RCN Media Office on 0207 647 3633, press.office@rcn.org.uk or visit http://www.rcn.org.uk/newsevents/media

The RCN gave evidence to the independent Francis Inquiry into care provided by Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust January 2005 – March 2009

Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.