Agenda item

(a)       The Chairman introduced the item and indicated that Members had before them letters received from Medway NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Kent and Medway on various matters arising from the Francis Report into events at Mid-Staffordshire Hospital. Attention was drawn to the website where Members would be able to access and read the full detailed Report. Given the importance of the Report, the Chairman felt certain this was something the Committee would look at again in the future and asked if Members had any comments. Members proceeded to express a range of views.

(b)       One Member identified two of the themes from the Francis Report set out on p.10 of the Agenda as being particularly important, namely the loss of corporate memory from constant reorganisation and the prioritisation of finance and targets over the quality of care.

(c)        On the subject of reorganisations, concern was expressed about patients and services potentially being overlooked during the transition from Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). However, the view was also expressed that the constant reorganisations meant little to frontline staff in the NHS as they were continually working and focussed on patients.

(d)       There was a discussion over whether the kind of issues identified in the Francis Report were the result of the actions of a tiny minority of staff when the rest were dedicated and hard working, paying tribute to all staff groups including managers, or the result of a broader cultural problem. On this last point, the view was expressed that the NHS was not sufficiently self-critical. Connected with this, the view was expressed that patients felt reluctant to complain about a service they used and that within the NHS the potential penalties for whistle-blowing were too high.

(e)       On the subject of Medway NHS Foundation Trust, the view was expressed that the quality of service varied markedly by ward and service. Concern was expressed about what exactly the mortality statistics did and did not include.

(f)         It was commented that the Francis Report also had important lessons for patient and public involvement in the future. It was reported that representatives of the Kent LINk had visited the one in Staffordshire to provide support.

(g)       Members felt the role of HOSC in maintaining an overview of the actions taken resulting from the Francis Report was a challenging and important one. To this end, there was detailed discussion on the wording of the recommendation. The issue of timing was of particular concern, with the view expressed that not setting a specific time to look at this topic again meant it could slip of the Forward Work Programme, but other views expressed the notion that it was important to wait until the report into Medway NHS Foundation Trust was made available. It was also felt that it would not be possible to ignore the outcomes of the Francis Report.

(h)        The Chairman proposed the following recommendation:

·        That the Committee recognise the importance of the Francis report and the strength of feeling arising from it and recommends that the HOSC put this item on its forward work programme as a priority.

(i)         AGREED that the Committee recognise the importance of the Francis report and the strength of feeling arising from it and recommends that the HOSC put this item on its forward work programme as a priority.