Interestingly, the reports are not easily found on the internet (visit the NHS website) and once found the content is minimal, so whilst it is claimed the NHS is being more open, this might not translate to a meaningful availability of information to patients.
The resource allows patients to compare hospitals in their local area on the basis of 7 factors, including infection control and cleanliness; meeting Care Quality Commission national standards; meeting staffing levels and open and honest reporting. But even if a patient manages to get to this website, all they will have to go on is ‘tick’ symbols, exclamation mark symbols or statements that the information is ‘not available’, which makes up about half of the data.
More detail about the level of reporting can be found on the NHS National Reporting and Learning System website but again it is not the most user-friendly resource.
The Health Secretary says “by publishing this data, we are sending a clear message that we want an open, honest reporting culture throughout the NHS where safety is at the front of everyone’s mind”. Mr Hunt says that 6,000 lives a year could be saved if hospitals were more serious about improving safety. This is a staggering number.
Our experience at Anthony Collins Solicitors is that many clients feel the hospital dismissed their concerns at the time then, when they feel they have no choice but to make a complaint, the NHS refused to accept anything went wrong. Many clients say that if the hospital had just apologised in the first place they would not have felt the need to bring a claim. The failure to report statistics in this report backs up our clients’ concerns.
At Anthony Collins Solicitors we aim to get answers for our clients and secure admissions of liability by the NHS that they did not do enough to care for their patient who put their trust in the system.
If you would like more information about this article, please contact Ann Houghton, Solicitor in the Clinical Negligence department on 0121 212 7478 or ann.houghton@anthonycollins.com.
Covid-19 has resulted, on the whole, in a marked co-operation between contracting authorities and their suppliers as everybody focuses on maintaining delivery as far as possible.
As we enter a recession, we have been here before, and a key question is what did we learn and how can we benefit from that learning?
It is anticipated that as lockdown restrictions ease, and particularly with children and young adults returning to education, cases of meningitis will start to rise.
As we continue to emerge from lockdown measures and deal with local measures and the short and long term economic impact of Covid-19, local authorities will need to re-assess how services will be delivered for years to come.
The Government first announced plans for a shared ownership right to buy in October 2019. At the time the sector raised concerns about the impact the plans would have on housing associations ability to borrow. An election and a pandemic later the Government announced, during the CIH Housing Festival last week, the return of the right to shared ownership as part of its Affordable Homes Programme (AHP).
Two final pieces of the possession jigsaw have been published on 15 September 2020. Mr Justice Knowles’ working group on possession proceedings has issued its guidance on the “overall arrangements” for possession proceedings.
One change proposed by the Building Safety Bill is the introduction of a duty holder regime, which will see statutory responsibility for the safety of higher risk buildings placed on key individuals
Throughout this pandemic, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been publishing various “Statements on Coronavirus” (Statements) which provide guidance on consumer rights during this time.
A recent increase in COVID-19 cases in the UK means new measures are being put in place in an effort to reduce the risk of a second wave. Whilst the impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt, it is important to remain focused on the sector’s road to recovery.
Sometimes half an hour at a conference gives you the reality that has been staring you in the face all along. That was my experience watching “Change is on the Horizon”
To receive invitations to our events, as well as information and articles on legal issues and sector developments that are of interest to you, please sign up to Newsroom.