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| Met asked to investigate NHS regulator after Morecambe Bay trust report | Met asked to investigate NHS regulator after Morecambe Bay trust report |
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| Police have been asked to investigate allegations of a cover-up at the Care Quality Commission, stemming from the health regulator's failure to investigate an alarming rise in deaths in Morecambe Bay NHS Trust hospitals. | Police have been asked to investigate allegations of a cover-up at the Care Quality Commission, stemming from the health regulator's failure to investigate an alarming rise in deaths in Morecambe Bay NHS Trust hospitals. |
| Liberal Democrat chair Tim Farron has written to the Metropolitan Police following publication of a fiercely critical report on Wednesday that suggested officials might have deliberately suppressed an internal review which highlighted weaknesses in its inspections of the trust. | Liberal Democrat chair Tim Farron has written to the Metropolitan Police following publication of a fiercely critical report on Wednesday that suggested officials might have deliberately suppressed an internal review which highlighted weaknesses in its inspections of the trust. |
| The regulator faced widespread criticism and anger for redacting the name of the member of staff who allegedly ordered the cover-up. | The regulator faced widespread criticism and anger for redacting the name of the member of staff who allegedly ordered the cover-up. |
| The health secretary Jeremy Hunt said there would be "no anonymity, no hiding place, no opportunity to get off scot-free" over the allegations. He said the "whole truth must now come out and individuals must be held to account." | |
| The report was prepared by City consultants Grant Thornton, which was commissioned to review the CQCs response to complaints of a rash of deaths in Cumbrian hospitals. It is a damning indictment of the regulator, a view endorsed by its current chief executive who described the organisation as having been "dysfunctional". | The report was prepared by City consultants Grant Thornton, which was commissioned to review the CQCs response to complaints of a rash of deaths in Cumbrian hospitals. It is a damning indictment of the regulator, a view endorsed by its current chief executive who described the organisation as having been "dysfunctional". |
| In March 2011, Cumbria Police launched an investigation into a cluster of maternity deaths at the trust. | In March 2011, Cumbria Police launched an investigation into a cluster of maternity deaths at the trust. |
| Later that year an official at the CQC was tasked with reviewing the organisation's regulatory decisions for the trust. The author of that internal CQC report told Grant Thornton's investigators that he had been ordered in March 2012 to "delete" it by a senior manager, known as "Mr G", because it was "potentially damaging to the CQC's reputation". Grant Thornton says that this "might well have constituted a deliberate 'cover up'". | Later that year an official at the CQC was tasked with reviewing the organisation's regulatory decisions for the trust. The author of that internal CQC report told Grant Thornton's investigators that he had been ordered in March 2012 to "delete" it by a senior manager, known as "Mr G", because it was "potentially damaging to the CQC's reputation". Grant Thornton says that this "might well have constituted a deliberate 'cover up'". |
| The revelations were branded "deeply disturbing and appalling" by Downing Street. | The revelations were branded "deeply disturbing and appalling" by Downing Street. |
| In the 320-page report, staff at the CQC are mostly identified by their job title, and their names withheld – up to the section which deals with the suppression of an internal report, where job titles are also withheld. Here all managers are anonymised. Because individuals gave evidence voluntarily, the CQC argued that it cannot disclose identifiable information under data protection rules. | |
| In a letter to Met police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Farron wrote: "I believe this information that has come to light today could be prima facie evidence that an offence has been committed. I urge you to proceed with an investigation using the evidence available." | In a letter to Met police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Farron wrote: "I believe this information that has come to light today could be prima facie evidence that an offence has been committed. I urge you to proceed with an investigation using the evidence available." |
| The data watchdog the Information Commissioner's Office also warned against using the data protection act "as a barrier to keep information out of the public domain where there is an overriding public interest in disclosure". | |
| Deputy information commissioner David Smith said: "The act does not specifically prevent people being named publicly, but instead talks about using information fairly and considering what expectations of confidentiality people may have had when providing their personal information." | Deputy information commissioner David Smith said: "The act does not specifically prevent people being named publicly, but instead talks about using information fairly and considering what expectations of confidentiality people may have had when providing their personal information." |
| "Put simply, patients would not expect sensitive information about their health to be disclosed in a public document, but there is no blanket ban preventing senior managers being held to account." | "Put simply, patients would not expect sensitive information about their health to be disclosed in a public document, but there is no blanket ban preventing senior managers being held to account." |
| Andy Burnham, Labour's health spokesman, said that "people will find it hard to accept if data protection laws stand in the way" of publication and called on the health secretary to "review the decision to shield the identities of those involved. Today's report makes clear the 'deleted' report clearly still exists and shouldn't it now be published?" | Andy Burnham, Labour's health spokesman, said that "people will find it hard to accept if data protection laws stand in the way" of publication and called on the health secretary to "review the decision to shield the identities of those involved. Today's report makes clear the 'deleted' report clearly still exists and shouldn't it now be published?" |
| CQC chairman David Prior described the Grant Thornton findings as "shocking" and revealed that the CQC had "not (been) fit for purpose". The CQC said it would review the decision to remove names from the report. | |
| Concerns about the maternity unit at Furness General Hospital surfaced in 2008, but the CQC gave the Morecambe Bay Trust, which runs the hospital, a clean bill of health in 2010. A year later police launched an investigation into a cluster of maternity deaths at the trust and the regulator admitted "major concerns" with hospital services. | Concerns about the maternity unit at Furness General Hospital surfaced in 2008, but the CQC gave the Morecambe Bay Trust, which runs the hospital, a clean bill of health in 2010. A year later police launched an investigation into a cluster of maternity deaths at the trust and the regulator admitted "major concerns" with hospital services. |
| More than 30 families have taken legal action against Furness General Hospital relating to baby and maternal deaths and injuries from 2008. Parents have campaigned for a public inquiry into the "serious systemic failures" at the hospital. | More than 30 families have taken legal action against Furness General Hospital relating to baby and maternal deaths and injuries from 2008. Parents have campaigned for a public inquiry into the "serious systemic failures" at the hospital. |
| James Titcombe, whose baby son, Joshua, died when he was nine days old after staff failed to treat a simple infection, said he still had concerns of the lack of transparency. "It is an anonymous report. There are questions about whether that reflects the direction the NHS should be going in, in terms of openness and transparency." | James Titcombe, whose baby son, Joshua, died when he was nine days old after staff failed to treat a simple infection, said he still had concerns of the lack of transparency. "It is an anonymous report. There are questions about whether that reflects the direction the NHS should be going in, in terms of openness and transparency." |
| Hunt said that there would be an independent inquiry into poor care at the trust and this will be chaired by Dr Bill Kirkup, a member of the Hillsborough Independent Panel and a former associate medical director at the Department of Health. The inquiry will sit in public. | Hunt said that there would be an independent inquiry into poor care at the trust and this will be chaired by Dr Bill Kirkup, a member of the Hillsborough Independent Panel and a former associate medical director at the Department of Health. The inquiry will sit in public. |
| Although the Kirkup inquiry was first announced in February to examine events at Furness General Hospital surrounding a number of infant and maternal deaths between 2004 and 2008, the terms of its reference have yet to be announced. This delay is in part due to a police investigation currently ongoing into the deaths. | Although the Kirkup inquiry was first announced in February to examine events at Furness General Hospital surrounding a number of infant and maternal deaths between 2004 and 2008, the terms of its reference have yet to be announced. This delay is in part due to a police investigation currently ongoing into the deaths. |
| Hunt said that the CQC was also introducing a tougher inspection regime, pointing out the government had appointed a chief inspector of hospitals. He also said that he was considering "a duty of candour" to compel the individuals to be open and honest about errors. | Hunt said that the CQC was also introducing a tougher inspection regime, pointing out the government had appointed a chief inspector of hospitals. He also said that he was considering "a duty of candour" to compel the individuals to be open and honest about errors. |
| Hunt said that the CQC failed in its fundamental duty and issued an apology on behalf of the Government and NHS to the families of those who died. "What happened at Morecambe Bay Hospital is, above all, a terrible personal tragedy for all of the families involved," he said. | Hunt said that the CQC failed in its fundamental duty and issued an apology on behalf of the Government and NHS to the families of those who died. "What happened at Morecambe Bay Hospital is, above all, a terrible personal tragedy for all of the families involved," he said. |
| "I want to apologise on behalf of the Government and the NHS for all the appalling suffering they have endured." | "I want to apologise on behalf of the Government and the NHS for all the appalling suffering they have endured." |
| • This article was amended on 24 June 2013 to clarify how CQC staff are identified, and when anonymised, in the internal report referred to above. |