Stafford Hospital caused ‘unimaginable suffering’

Patients were routinely neglected or left “sobbing and humiliated” by staff at an NHS trust where at least 400 deaths have been linked to appalling care.

An independent inquiry found that managers at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust stopped providing safe care because they were preoccupied with government targets and cutting costs.

The inquiry report, published yesterday by Robert Francis, QC, included proposals for tough new regulations that could lead to managers at failing NHS trusts being struck off.

Staff shortages at Stafford Hospital meant that patients went unwashed for weeks, were left without food or drink and were even unable to get to the lavatory. Some lay in soiled sheets that relatives had to take home to wash, others developed infections or had falls, occasionally fatal. Many staff did their best but the attitude of some nurses “left a lot to be desired”.

Stafford Hospital caused ‘unimaginable suffering’

Americans read articles like this and wonder if this is what is in store for them.

This is, indeed, a horrific story of failure within the NHS. That this situation was allowed to develop in the first place is disgusting, that it was allowed to continue for so long is even more so.
However, failures can happen in any organisation - even a perceived super efficient & effective one like Toyota - what is important (as can certainly be seen by the Toyota affair) is what action is taken to ensure that the problem is resolved & may never happen again.
In this case:
An independent inquiry was opened into the affair - Toyota could certainly learn from that.
The inquiry made

18 recommendations for the trust and the wider health service, which the Government accepted in full

I have read the report & it is indeed a damming condemnation of the particular Board of the NHS Trust who,apart from the chairman, appeared to completely unawares of what their duties should be.

Unless someone is introducing proposals to create National Health service Trusts in the USA I doubt that there is anything Americans can learn about health care from this incident. Unless it is that unless proper checks & balances are in place and monitoring of results are carefully watched then the possibility of human error, either by accident or design, exist. However I think that should be something that is painfully obvious to most from the Banking fiasco.

One of the major reasons that I am against Gov't run hospitals is that I worked at one for 13 years and I will testify that they are a ''dog and pony show'' more than a concerned institution for taking care of the patients!They are mired down with bureaucrats administrating,concerned with their paper shuffle,staff worn out from frustration and finally becoming part of the problem by losing motivation!There are no ''checks and balances'' in the sense of making corrections,because the investigators are all part of the same bureaucracy and nobody is rocking the boat.Everything becomes big lie,paperwork is done to hide deficiencies and extra staffing is moved around for inspections ,so ''everything'' will look good.It is pitiful and such a waste!

I don't know how it will or can be done,but the costs of healthcare must come down,but not with gov't run hosps,because it is a waste and only gets worse with time!

I remember how the gov't allocates moneys!They have a budget for ''different ''depts.I remember us being short of med supplies and I noticed a major murial painting project going at the hospital,the maintenance dept. was ''spending ''the rest of their money,so as not to have their budget cut the next year!!Incompetence and waste!!

Stan the NHS has many faults & most people who live under it will attest to that.
However since its inception 50 years ago not one political party in the UK has suggested that it should be scrapped. that includes the Conservatives under the reign of Maggie Thatcher.
Why??
Despite what Americans may believe there is no shred of evidence that suggests a 'market economy' Health care system can result in cheaper & better health care.
Despite disgusting examples as per this piece the NHS still gives a longer life expectancy for less than 50% of the cost of the CURRENT American system.
Those are the unemotional, non-political badge wearing facts. I defy anyone to produce data that suggests otherwise.

unwashed for weeks

You're right, Bob, it ain't gonna kill ya, is it?

BobHelm wrote:Stan the NHS has many faults & most people who live under it will attest to that.
However since its inception 50 years ago not one political party in the UK has suggested that it should be scrapped. that includes the Conservatives under the reign of Maggie Thatcher.
Why??
Despite what Americans may believe there is no shred of evidence that suggests a 'market economy' Health care system can result in cheaper & better health care.
Despite disgusting examples as per this piece the NHS still gives a longer life expectancy for less than 50% of the cost of the CURRENT American system.
Those are the unemotional, non-political badge wearing facts. I defy anyone to produce data that suggests otherwise.

One of the current attractions of the NHS for me is the fact that since April 2008 NHS patients have more choice than ever: the right to travel to any hospital in England, NHS or private (as long as the private hospital can provide care at the NHS tariff), to secure better treatment. This means you can use the hospital of your choice before or once you have been referred or diagnosed whether it be by your own GP or local hospital for free, this is something that many other countries cannot provide. It also allows you to check on the standard of a hospital before attending for your particular ailment, thankfully the UK does have some very good hospitals to cater to the public at large.

The best thing about the NHS is that you receive the treatment necessary to treat your illness as designated by a doctor and not as decided as affordable by an insurance clerk!!

That is a good point which I would having come from the UK taken as a given whereas others that do not might not necessarily know that.

Does the NHS cover you outside of the UK?
Or do you have to buy supplemental ins?

In the EU you are fully covered Tex, without the need of further Insurance.
As for holidays outside the EU it is necessary to purchase holiday cover insurance. However many Bank account, credit card holders etc. will automatically be covered for holidays through that at no charge. There are always 'time limits' on these covers, which vary from bank to bank. Somewhere between 1 & 3 months in any 12 month period would be normal.
The only exception would be if you wanted insurance on holiday abroad while taking part in what are designated as "Dangerous" Sports or events. In that case specialist Insurance would certainly need to be purchased.

If you live outside Britain (EU) permanently, you are not covered?

Well, not without flying back home, no.
If you lived & worked outside the EU you would not be paying either!!
Tex, can you please explain to me what a 'pre-existing condition' is please???

A condition that exists prior to a time or event.

If you have a condition, heart disease for example, before you board a roller coaster, and subsequently die from a heart attack -- the owner of the roller coaster could argue your pre-existing condition was at least partly culpable in the death.

Another:

If you have poor eyesight when you join the Army, you couldn't claim disability ($) for your poor eyesight after you're discharged. The condition was pre-existing.

Oh right, so it has nothing to do with Health Insurance policies then...
That is a relief to know.

Certainly not mine.