[guide.chat] n h s lost patient data

From: vanessa <qwerty1234567a@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "GUIDE CHAT" <guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2012 07:01:52 +0100
Loss of patient data was 'serious management failures
A review into why one of the UK's biggest NHS trusts lost data about patients 
has blamed "a serious management failure".

Patients referred because of suspected cancer were among those affected by the 
problems at Imperial College Healthcare.

Papers from an external review show how delays built up over three years.

The trust, which runs four big hospitals in London, says there is no evidence 
patients were harmed.

But it has apologised to patients for "concern and distress" caused by what it 
admitted was poor record keeping.

BBC News revealed two months ago that the deaths of 25 patients were under 
review as part of an inquiry into the problems.

A report containing strong criticism of the failures was presented to a meeting 
of Imperial's board this morning.

It said: "It appears that sometime between 2008 and mid-2011 the Trust lost 
management grip of delivery of waiting time standards.

"I would like to apologise unequivocally for any distress that might have been 
caused. ?

Mark Davies
Imperial College Healthcare
"Clearly, it was a serious management failure to allow matters to deteriorate 
to the situation reached by mid-2011.

"The Board was not aware of the problems...the priorities from the top were 
finance and A&E (Accident and Emergency) performance.

"There was a light touch regime on elective waiting times because the Trust 
appeared to be performing well.

"Until mid-2011, many managers and staff did not recognise the importance of 
ensuring the basics are done excellently."

'Ignorant'
The review also said "antiquated computer systems" caused problems, although it 
noted these could have been made to work.

And it said "many people at all levels were ignorant" about the basics of 
managing the national rules on waiting times, and how patients should progress 
through the system.

Imperial was allowed to suspend the reporting of its waiting times for planned 
operations to the government for the first six months of this year, in an 
unprecedented move, because the problems had resulted in a backlog.

The report noted there had since been "significant changes" to Imperial's 
management team.

A separate clinical review re-examined the details of 1,000 out-patients and 
450 patients who had been admitted. It also looked at records for more than 300 
patients who had died while on the waiting list.

The trust's chief executive, Mark Davies, said: "The independent report found 
no evidence of any clinical harm resulting from these failures but we are not 
complacent in any way.

"I am only too aware that both the poor standard of record keeping in the past, 
and the measures we have had to take to address this, may have resulted in 
concern for patients and their families.

"I would like to apologise unequivocally for any distress that might have been 
caused.

"We have implemented new systems for recording patient information, improved 
staff training and radically changed management structures, with the 
appointment of a new Chief Operating Officer who is personally overseeing these 
changes."

Councillor Sarah Richardson, the chair of the adults and health scrutiny 
committee at Westminster City Council, said: "Today's report highlights the 
role of weak management and poor computer systems and inadequate internal 
reporting as key factors contributing to delayed referrals at Imperial College 
NHS Trust for patients seeking diagnosis for cancer.

"This contributed directly to patients suffering pain, worry and possible 
deterioration in their conditions."


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[guide.chat] n h s lost patient data

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