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Healthcare regulator CQC 'may have covered up failings' NHS 'cover-up' unacceptable, says health secretary
(about 2 hours later)
England's healthcare regulator may have covered up knowledge of its own failings after a series of baby deaths at a Cumbria hospital, a report says. A cover-up by England's NHS regulator after a series of baby deaths at a Cumbria hospital is unacceptable, the health secretary says.
The review looked at the Care Quality Commission's response to complaints about several deaths at Furness General Hospital in Barrow. Jeremy Hunt was speaking after a review of the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) response to complaints about several deaths at Furness General Hospital.
It identifies a "dysfunctional working relationship" between the regulator and other parts of the NHS. The review has shown a senior manager may have ordered the deletion of a report critical of the CQC last year.
The CQC said it was "desperately sorry" for the failings. Mr Hunt apologised for the failings and said action was being taken.
Meanwhile, the father of a baby who died described the findings as "hard to believe". In a statement to the House of Commons, he said the CQC was already introducing a tougher inspection regime and had just appointed a chief inspector of hospitals.
In 2008, nine-day-old Joshua Titcombe died from a treatable infection after being born in the hospital's maternity ward. Meanwhile, he said the government was introducing measures to make the NHS more transparent, including a duty of candour to compel the health service to be open and honest about mistakes.
His father, James, said: "The report lays bare a number of extremely serious failures [that are] quite hard to believe." But Mr Hunt said the attempt to cover up as described in the report was "completely unacceptable" and the "whole truth" must now come out.
Joshua's death, which is now the subject of a police investigation, and those of three other babies and two mothers, led to growing concerns about care standards and prompted a complaint to the CQC. He added: "What happened at Morecambe Bay is above all a terrible personal tragedy for all the families involved.
In total, more than 30 families have taken legal action against Furness General Hospital relating to baby and maternal deaths and injuries. "I want to apologise on behalf of the government and the NHS for all the appalling suffering they have endured."
'Cover-up' In total, more than 30 families have taken legal action against Furness General Hospital relating to baby and maternal deaths and injuries from 2008.
But despite the emerging problems, the CQC gave Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, which ran the hospital, a clean bill of health in 2010. The CQC asked consultants Grant Thornton to investigate its failure to spot the problems - Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, which ran the hospital, had been given a clean bill of health in 2010.
A year later, with more concerns emerging, an internal review was ordered into how the problems had gone unnoticed. 'Shocking'
But in March 2012 it was decided the findings should not be made public as the review was so critical of the CQC. The order is said to have come from a senior manager who has not been named for data protection reasons - something the individual denies. The consultants found a year after this, with more concerns emerging, an internal review had been ordered into how the problems had gone unnoticed.
The latest report - carried out by consultancy firm Grant Thornton on behalf of the CQC - said this "might well have constituted a deliberate cover-up". But in March 2012 it was decided the findings should not be made public as the review was so critical of the CQC. The order is said to have come from a senior manager who has not been named for data protection reasons. The individual denies the allegations.
But it also acknowledged the CQC had been hampered because the trust and regional health bosses had failed to share information about the problems. The latest report said this "might well have constituted a deliberate cover-up".
But it also acknowledged the CQC had been hampered in its work because the trust and regional health bosses had failed to share information about the problems.
CQC chairman David Prior said the report was "shocking" and showed the regulator was "not fit for purpose".CQC chairman David Prior said the report was "shocking" and showed the regulator was "not fit for purpose".
"This is a shocking state of affairs. I am desperately sorry this has happened," he said."This is a shocking state of affairs. I am desperately sorry this has happened," he said.
But he said publication "draws a line in the sand for us".But he said publication "draws a line in the sand for us".
"The report confirms our view that at a senior level the organisation was dysfunctional. The board and the senior executive team have been radically changed.""The report confirms our view that at a senior level the organisation was dysfunctional. The board and the senior executive team have been radically changed."
The trust has said that, given the continuing investigation, it would be "inappropriate to comment on individual cases".The trust has said that, given the continuing investigation, it would be "inappropriate to comment on individual cases".
But it has said there is "no denying that the trust has let women and their families down in the past" and that the new trust board is "determined to learn from it".But it has said there is "no denying that the trust has let women and their families down in the past" and that the new trust board is "determined to learn from it".
James Titcombe, whose nine-day old son, Joshua, died in 2008 from a treatable infection after being born in the hospital's maternity ward, said: "The report lays bare a number of extremely serious failures [that are] quite hard to believe."
The publication of Wednesday's report comes four months after a public inquiry into the failings at another hospital - Stafford - criticised the culture of the NHS as more concerned with protecting "corporate self-interest" than patient care.The publication of Wednesday's report comes four months after a public inquiry into the failings at another hospital - Stafford - criticised the culture of the NHS as more concerned with protecting "corporate self-interest" than patient care.
'Heads must roll' 'Cover-up'
A spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said the allegations were "deeply disturbing and appalling", and the government had taken "strong action" to reform the system.
And Health Minister Norman Lamb told the BBC the revelations were "disgusting" - and the names of the managers should be made public.
Shadow health minister Jamie Reed called on ministers "to order an urgent investigation into the questions raised by this report".Shadow health minister Jamie Reed called on ministers "to order an urgent investigation into the questions raised by this report".
"It would be indefensible for the CQC, the regulator charged with keeping our hospitals safe, to attempt a cover-up designed to mask its own failings," he said."It would be indefensible for the CQC, the regulator charged with keeping our hospitals safe, to attempt a cover-up designed to mask its own failings," he said.
"My constituents who use this hospital deserve much better and the government needs to provide answers on every aspect of this serious allegation.""My constituents who use this hospital deserve much better and the government needs to provide answers on every aspect of this serious allegation."
Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, said: "I have tried to support the families affected by this tragedy for years, but this report shows that collusion could have happened at the highest level - heads must roll for this."
Mr Farron has called for an urgent question to be tabled in the House of Commons.
It is not the first time the regulator has come under fire since its creation in 2009.It is not the first time the regulator has come under fire since its creation in 2009.
Widespread concerns prompted ministers to scrutinise the CQC's performance and recommend a raft of changes including the creation of a new hospitals chief inspector post and a ratings system.Widespread concerns prompted ministers to scrutinise the CQC's performance and recommend a raft of changes including the creation of a new hospitals chief inspector post and a ratings system.
Action against Medical Accidents chief executive Peter Walsh said the report was "a vindication of what local people affected by failings by the trust and by regulators have been saying".Action against Medical Accidents chief executive Peter Walsh said the report was "a vindication of what local people affected by failings by the trust and by regulators have been saying".
"It underlines the need for a fully independent and wide-ranging inquiry into how, even in the aftermath of Mid Staffordshire, the regulatory system utterly failed to protect patients and sought to cover up," he added."It underlines the need for a fully independent and wide-ranging inquiry into how, even in the aftermath of Mid Staffordshire, the regulatory system utterly failed to protect patients and sought to cover up," he added.
"It is vital that the new leaders of the CQC ensure it is a robust, proactive and honest regulator.""It is vital that the new leaders of the CQC ensure it is a robust, proactive and honest regulator."