RCN responds to announcement on “failure regime” for NHS Trusts

Published: 01 September 2011

Responding to the Department of Health’s document Securing continued access to NHS services, which sets out the processes for dealing with failures in NHS organisations,  Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing said:

“When the structure of the health service is facing radical changes, it is more important than ever that failure in care and in financial stability can be swiftly and properly dealt with. We are therefore very pleased that the government has listened to the RCN’s call for more detail on how problems can be tackled, and it is only right that the public and private sectors must meet the same standards. 

“However, we do still have some concerns over how this structure will encourage Monitor and the CQC to work together alongside commissioners to respond quickly and effectively where concerns are raised.  The name of the game should be prevention, and the RCN will be examining closely how exactly these processes will prevent catastrophic failures in patient care.”

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Notes for Editors

1.  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
2. The 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