This is Obama's recipe for America

An NHS [British government] hospital is to be scrutinised in a second official inquiry after a report found that “appalling” emergency care led to patients dying needlessly. Andy Burnham, the Health Secretary, said that current and former staff would be expected to co-operate with the independent inquiry into Stafford Hospital.

In March an investigation by the Healthcare Commission condemned “appalling” and “shocking” standards of care at the hospital, run by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. Between 400 and 1,200 more people died than would have been expected in a three-year period, and a lack of nursing staff was said to have contributed to poor patient care.

Despite two additional Department of Health reviews, campaigners and nursing unions have called for a public inquiry to analyse what part Government targets played in the failings. Mr Burnham said that the new inquiry would be chaired by Robert Francis, QC, a leading clinical negligence lawyer, who will hear evidence from patients and families and identify lessons for the future.

The inquiry was announced as part of measures to tackle “exceptional failures” in foundation trusts, which have a degree of independence from the Department of Health and control most NHS hospitals in the country. The Government said that if the chairman considered it necessary to require witnesses to attend, the Secretary of State would take the necessary steps to ensure this happened.

Andrew Lansley, the Shadow Health Secretary, said that the inquiry would not go far enough. “This independent inquiry could play a part in renewing public confidence but not to the same extent as a public inquiry,” he said. “While I welcome the acknowledgement that individual cases have not been given a sufficient hearing, other critical issues have been sidelined. The terms of reference neither scrutinise the role of the Department of Health nor the impact of the Government’s policies.”

Last week Antony Sumara was appointed as chief executive of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, while Sir Stephen Moss was appointed as chairman. Former chief executive Martin Yeates resigned in March, along with the chairman, Toni Brisby, before the damning report was published. [They should both be prosecuted for murder]

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