More Death By "Care" NHS : Surplus Versus Services Case 4.

by Art de Rivers | March 21, 2009 at 02:54 pm

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The Times online states it succinctly about The Kingston Hospital in the UK :

VULNERABLE patients with learning disabilities have died because of neglect in NHS hospitals, an official report is expected to say this week.

The report by the parliamentary and health service ombudsman will find widespread failures by doctors and nurses to care properly for people who are mentally handicapped.

The inquiry began after a report by the charity Mencap, Death by Indifference, found six patients had died through neglect while in NHS care.

Of a "surplus" made - the Kingston Hospital Trust - (KHT) in the year 2007 - 8 which was moving towards its bid phase to Monitor (Foundation Trust Watchdog) and consistent with a "savings" policy (an underspend becoming a surplus ) the following was reported in its NHS accounts :

"In setting the 2007/08 budget, KHT took account of the external environment in a prudent manner. Actual activity levels have been above those anticipated in the budget and the Trust has flexed the resources to meet the additional clinical demand. Through this, the Trust maintained strong financial control and is pleased to report achievement of all key financial targets. The forecast surplus for the year was increased mid-year from £1.7m to £2.7m in recognition of the increased activity, and this target surplus has been delivered. The funds generated are retained by the Trust and will be used to help fund future investment in healthcare at Kingston."

CARE LINKED TO DEATH Mark Cannon - The 30-year-old died eight weeks after being admitted to hospital with a broken leg. He waited three days to see a pain team and developed an infection. Complaints were upheld against the hospital and council - he was in a care home when he was first injured. The ombudsmen ruled care contributed to death. Martin Ryan - Died several weeks after having stroke. While in hospital, the 43-year-old went 26 days without being fed. The hospital was criticised: death could have been avoided if care had been better. Will shocking care be addressed?

More information from Health Service Journal UK :

A report into the deaths of six people with learning disabilities has uncovered "significant and distressing" failures in services across health and social care.

The joint report by the health service ombudsman and the local government ombudsman found one person died as a consequence of public service failure.

It is likely the death of another person could have been avoided, had the care and treatment provided not fallen so far below standard, it said.

The report, Six Lives: the provision of public services to people with learning disabilities , responds to complaints brought by the charity Mencap on behalf of the families of six people with learning disabilities who died while in NHS or local authority care between 2003 and 2005.

Their cases were brought to public attention in Mencap's 2007 report Death by Indifference.

And a damning statement from Ann Abrahams Health Ombudsman :

'Indictment of our society'

Health service ombudsman for England Ann Abraham said: "The recurrence of complaints across different agencies leads us to believe that the quality of care in the NHS and social services for people with learning disabilities is at best patchy and at worst an indictment of our society.

"Six Lives has highlighted distressing failures in the quality of health and social care services for people with learning disabilities. No investigation can reverse the mistakes and failures but if NHS and social care leaders take positive steps to deliver improvements in services, this may bring some small consolation to the families and carers of those who died."