PRESS RELEASE
Patients Association Report 2011, 2010 & 2009 - But no nurses who
perpetrate the poor care are Struck Off!
We have the Freedom of Information stats for all to see!
With reference to today's release of yet another report by the
Patients Association about poor care in the NHS, we would like members
of the Press to know that the NHS Regulatory Bodies do nothing to
protect patients NOR to protect NHS Whistleblowers.
Following the Patients Association Report 2009 that was said to be the
' worst cases of care ', there was a promised purge of cruel nurses
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1209334/Revealed-The-cruelty-s
uffered-1m-elderly-NHS-patients.html
Our group have compared figures released by the Nursing and Midwifery
Council (NMC) and found that hardly any nurses were struck off after
complaints were made by the public.
Conversely a disproportionately higher number of nurses were struck
off when a complaint was lodged with the NMC by an Employer.
NHS Reform Group spokesperson Mr. Miguel Cubells said: “The
information given, clearly shows that the NMC do not take seriously
complaints made by amember of the public BUT strike off 'some' nurses
when an Healthcare provider reports someone. We believe that the NMC
facilitate the removal from the register of nurse whistleblowers.
However the overall number of strike offs is extremely low compared
with the overall number of complaints."
So it would appear the NMC is just another pseudo NHS regulatory body
quango that strikes off - it would appear - whistleblowers, but not
nurses who have caused misery and suffering.”
"James Titcombe
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jun/07/joshua-titcombe-inquest-
cumbria-coroner whose baby son Joshua died due to NHS mistakes, has
found that the NMC have yet to take any action against the midwives
involved although the Coroner Ian Smith found that 11 midwives had
colluded to cover up.
In December 2010 Mrs. J. Brooks member of the NHS Reform Group and
whose father's story of poor care was in the Patients Association 2009
Report, was given figures via a Freedom of Information request
regarding complaints/referrals made to the NMC and strike-offs of
nurses.
In June 2011, Mr. Will Powell, who is a member of the NHS Justice
Group [http://www.nhsjusticegroup.co.uk/index.html] was given some
contradictory figures via a Freedom of Information request regarding
the same subject.
Cases referred by members of the public - figures given by the NMC
Mrs. Brooks in December 2010 were:
2007 = of 155 cases referred by public 1 registered nurse was struck
off.
2008 = of 242 cases referred by public 5 registrants were struck off.
2009 = of 554 cases referred by public 0 registrants were struck off.
2010 = of 779 cases referred by public 0 registrants were struck off.
Cases referred by members of the public - figures given by the NMC Mr.
Powell in June 2011 were:
2007 = of 202 cases referred by public 9 registrants were struck off.
2008 = of 304 cases referred by public 2 registrants were struck off.
2009 = of 469 cases referred by public 5 registrants were struck off.
2010 = of 902 cases referred by public 4 registrants were struck off.
Cases referred by NHS Employers - figures given by the NMC in June
2011 via the www.whatdotheyknow.com website to Mr. Powell:
2007 = of 782 referrals by employers there were 183 strike-offs
2008 = of 888 referrals by employers there were 184 strike-offs
2009 = of 989 referrals by employers there were 166 strike-offs
2010 = of 1469 referrals by employers there were 121 strike-offs
NHS Reform Group spokesperson Mr. Miguel Cubells: “The ratio of
strike-offs on the whole quite clearly show that the NMC take more
seriously complaints made by Healthcare employers.
We would suggest that these are complaints and strike-offs in
connection with nurses who have 'blown the whistle', such as what
happened to Nurse Margaret Haywood."
The Mr. Titcombe added: “Across the board, it is clear also that as
the cases referred to the NMC increase, there is a decrease of
strike-offs which is very worrying."
Nursing Assistant Mrs. Kate Clarke, a member of the NHS Reform Group
says "I blew the whistle to the ward manager about how agency nurses
working on A & E didn't know where the crash trolley was and didn't
know who to call in an emergency. The patient died due to this poor
performance. But then I found myself sacked".
Mrs Brooks adds "although I was assured that there would be a 'purge
of cruel nurses' following the Patients Association Report 2009 in
which my Fathers case was story no. 6, this promised purge having been
made by Ms. Christine Beasley, Chief Nurse and Government spokesperson
has just not happened.
Christine Beasley apologised to Mrs. Brooks for the poor care afforded
her Father at Sheffield's Northern General Hospital. Nurses left her
Father laying in his own blood and urine as he laid dying due to
having terminal leukaemia - Mrs. Brooks confirms that the NMC have not
struck off any of the 'cruel' nurses who treated her Father. Mrs.
Brooks has written to Christine Beasley to ask why her promised purge
did not happen and received notification that Ms. Beasley had gone on
holiday.
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