MP calls for urgent Government investigation
to expose failings at North Middlesex Hospital since February 2016 when we revealed over-stretched A&E medics told patients over a Tannoy to “Go home if you’re not dying”.
Our probe triggered an emergency inspection by the Care Quality Commission, leading to a report rating the department as inadequate.
Later that year the hospital as a whole was inspected and rated as “requires improvement”. But two years later our latest investigation shows appalling lapses in care are still happening.
The patient charity Action Against Medical Accidents, said: “Some of the incidents described are shocking and include basic failures in care.”
Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “These are alarming revelations. Patients and families deserve better and I’m writing to the Secretary of State asking him to look into these issues urgently.” Prof Ted Baker, the Care Quality Commission’s chief inspector of hospitals, said North Middlesex was inspected in May and June this year.
He said: “Where serious incidents occur we expect a full investigation to be carried out by trusts, learning to be shared and measures to protect people.”
The hospital’s A&E is one of the busiest in the capital, with an average of 480 patients a day. A hospital spokesman said: “In the cases highlighted we have involved families and patients in the investigations, shared the findings with them and apologised.
“We have strengthened our standard hospital processes and provided additional training to our doctors and nurses. There is no national benchmark for the number of serious incident reports. A good safety culture is recognised by a relatively high number of overall incidents reported and a low percentage of Serious Incidents among these. “North Mid fulfils these criteria when compared with other NHS trusts.” North Middlesex’s A&E has been under pressure since 2013 when the emergency department at nearby Chase Farm hospital shut. Have you been affected by a Serious Incident at North Middlesex Hospital? Contact feedback@people.co.uk. Voice of the Sunday People: P14