Experts After Inspection Raises Concerns Over Unit’s Safety Standards

Medical law specialists at Irwin Mitchell have called for Mid Yorkshire Hospital Trust to work quickly to tackle the issues which led the Care Quality Commission to put legal sanctions in place at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield.

An inspection at the hospital’s day surgical unit revealed that it was being used for long-term care needs, while issues were also raised over the lack of adequate washing facilities and catering.

The latter meant that, in some cases, patients were kept on the ward for more than four days eating nothing but sandwiches and microwave dinners.

Enforcement of the legal restriction means that the unit is now unable to treat patients for more than 23 hours, with the CQC’s deputy director Malcolm Bower-Brown describing the findings as “completely unacceptable”.

Irwin Mitchell has vast expertise in representing patients who have suffered as a result of substandard care or treatment across the UK, helping victims and their families to secure justice over the problems they have endured.

Rachelle Mahapatra, a Partner and specialist in medical law and patients’ rights based at the national law firm’s Leeds office, said the developments were hugely worrying.

She said: “The CQC has highlighted significant concerns over standards at the hospital, as well as suggestions that it has been undertaking work for which it is not adequately resourced.

“Patients and their families put their faith and trust in medical professionals to ensure they are given treatment and care to a recognised and safe standard. Sadly, we have seen in numerous cases just how devastating failings in this area can be.

“We would urge Pinderfields to react promptly to these concerns by the CQC and that everything possible is being done to ensure standards rise immediately. It is also vital that the hospital and the NHS as a whole recognise the issues which have been raised, with a view to learning lessons and preventing them from being repeated again.”