BackThe verdict of the trial of a nurse has been highly significant for discussions of patient safety and transparency within the health service in England.
A neonatal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital was found guilty of seven counts of murder and six of attempted murder.
During the trial and afterwards, clinicians who worked alongside the nurse have spoken about how their concerns were ignored by senior managers and they were told to apologise to her for singling her out.
As the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Rob Behrens felt this was an important opportunity to speak out about a defensive NHS culture which time and again has seen leaders prioritise the protection of organisational reputation over patient safety.
Ombudsman Behrens wrote a letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care urging him to give the proposed inquiry into events at the Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust statutory status.
This would mean it has legal powers to compel witnesses and evidence which is essential if the inquiry is to get to the truth of what happened.
He also used the letter to reiterate and build on messages from PHSO’s recent report on avoidable harm in the NHS, Broken trust: making patient safety more than just a promise. The letter urged the Secretary of State to conduct a thorough, independent review with cross-party support of NHS leadership, accountability and culture.
The Ombudsman's comments have been reported extensively in national and international print and broadcast media.
Source: Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman, UK
