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Inquiry into Liverpool Community Health failures expected Inquiry launched into Liverpool Community Health failures
(about 1 hour later)
An independent inquiry into a failed NHS trust is expected to be announced later - amid concerns that 150 deaths were not properly investigated. An independent inquiry has been launched into the running of a failed NHS trust - amid concerns 150 deaths were not properly investigated.
Liverpool Community Health (LCH), formed in 2010, ran services for about 750,000 people on Merseyside until 2018.Liverpool Community Health (LCH), formed in 2010, ran services for about 750,000 people on Merseyside until 2018.
A review last year found it was "dysfunctional from the outset" and patients suffered "unnecessary harm". The inquiry will look into "historic incidents of serious harm" and 17,000 cases related to patient safety.
Health minister Stephen Hammond said families deserved answers.
The trust has previously apologised to patients, families and staff.The trust has previously apologised to patients, families and staff.
LCH provided services such as district nursing, dentistry and diabetes care. The new inquiry will be overseen by a panel led by Bill Kirkup, who led a 2018 investigation into the trust, as well as a review into the Morecambe Bay scandal at Furness General Hospital.
It quickly embarked on a major cost-cutting programme after its formation, slashing budgets and staffing in a failed effort to become a foundation trust. Mr Hammond said: "We owe it to the patients and families affected by substandard care in LCH to establish the full extent of events and give them the answers they need."
Previous reports found evidence of a bullying culture and said that patient safety was put at risk as a result of under-spending. Dr Kirkup's review last year found LCH was "dysfunctional from the outset" and patients suffered "unnecessary harm".
Prison It is understood that an initial review by LCH's successor, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, has raised serious new concerns, including claims at least 150 deaths were not properly investigated.
It is understood further analysis has raised serious new concerns, including claims that at least 150 deaths were not properly investigated.
These deaths occurred mainly in the community but around 20 were at Liverpool Prison, where LCH ran healthcare services between 2011 and 2015.
A further 43,000 incidents cannot currently be categorised due to what has been described as "a complete failure of management systems".
These relate to everything from pressure sores to deaths.
Each incident should have been categorised according to a nationally recognised system of harm but this did not happen, meaning there was missed opportunities to learn lessons.
The Department of Health is expected to confirm it has ordered an independent inquiry into the extent of the failures.
'Limbo'
Bill Kirkup, who led the 2018 investigation into the trust as well as a review into the Morecambe Bay scandal at Furness General Hospital, is expected to chair the new inquiry.
Previous investigations into the the trust have found:
Four former members of LCH staff are facing fitness to practice hearings at the Nursing and Midwifery Council. They began in May and are due to last 14 weeks.
They include former director of nursing Helen Lockett, who was suspended in 2016.
LCH no longer exists, with most of its services now run by Merseycare, another NHS trust.
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