Legal Experts Demand Swift Action To Improve Standards

Specialist medical negligence lawyers have urged the Government and the NHS to work swiftly to address the serious concerns raised by the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC’s) new State of Care report, which identified safety concerns at 75 per cent of hospitals in England.

The CQC report found that just 26 per cent of trusts were rated good for safety, with 61 per cent requiring improvement and 13 per cent an inadequate.

Specific concerns related to safety included incomplete safety checks and audits, staff not receiving essential training, inadequate management of medicines and poor record keeping.

Examining care homes, nursing homes and home care services, the CQC found that 40 per cent of care services had issues with safety, while a third of GP services also raised similar concerns.

The CQC stated that leadership and collaboration would be key to improving the situation, as well as boosting coordination of care on a local and national level.

Following the release of the report, Irwin Mitchell’s specialist Medical Negligence team has demanded that steps are taken to make urgent improvements to ensure that patient safety remains the absolute priority across the NHS.

The legal experts represent both patients left injured as a result of safety failings during care, as well as the loved ones of those who have died due to such problems.

Expert Opinion

“It is a major concern to see that such a large number of hospitals are failing to reach satisfactory standards in terms of safety. The wellbeing of patients should always be a top priority when it comes to healthcare, yet today’s report suggests that many people could face unnecessary and avoidable risks during their time in hospital. <br/> <br/>“This is very disturbing and it is clear that steps must be taken across the board to ensure patients have access to a consistent and safe standard of care, regardless of where they live. <br/> <br/>“We have seen too many cases when patients have suffered as a result of failings which should have been avoided, with such incidents leading to serious injuries and even, in some tragic cases, deaths. <br/> <br/>“The seriousness of this issue cannot be underestimated and it is vital that the Government and NHS respond quickly and effectively to the concerns identified.” Ian Christian - Partner