Principles of Safeguarding

The Gogh Inquiry During investigations at Staffordshire Hospital, findings revealed serious failures of care, cases of unnecessary suffering of patients and higher than average mortality rates. Five other hospitals are also being investigated regarding their unnecessary death rates and poor nursing. Following these findings, Sir Bruce Gogh, England’s INS Medical Director, has started an inquiry. Koch’s inquiry looks at different cases where there has been unnecessary deaths and a lack of quality nursing.
This report kooks at the different recommendations that have been made to improve the INS put in place by Gogh and looks at what has happened since Staffordshire regarding resignations, blame and public opinion. Different Opinions Patient groups are angry as there has been no prosecutions or resignations since the Staffordshire scandal. Katherine Murphy of the Patients Association quoted “It is deeply disturbing nurses fear the door is open for another tragedy on the scale of Mid Staffs. It is vital politicians listen and ensure they provide the tools nurses need o provide a safe level of care to patients. The families of the patients who have died or have received poor quality care, are understandably angry and have lost faith in the INS. INS staff (front line nurses) feel like that the is blame aimed at them, as they are given targets to hit, which are impossible to achieve as well as first class care. Also, front line nurses warn that this could happen again due to lack of staff, cuts and the rationing of front line services. The Recommendations Following the Gogh Review, the current set of regulations are to be revised.
This will include a call for greater regulation of INS managers and an overhaul of training for nurses and unqualified health care assistants. Also, changes to the supervision and regulation of health care are required to protect patients and to respond to public anger about the scandal, which has drained confidence in the rest of the health service. A recommendation for better training for health care assistants, and a call for them to be regulated, meaning they could be struck off if they failed in their duties.

The report will also recommend changes to ensure managers are held accountable for their decisions. This could mean they are struck off a central register if they do not follow a revised code of conduct. The Effect on Public Opinion Patients at Stafford Hospital were left lying in their own urine and excrement for days, forced to drink water from vases, given the wrong medication or sent home with faith in the INS and health and social care. Whilst working on the wards staff may find themselves being scrutinized by patients and relatives, finding fault where there is none.