Great Ormond Street Hospital child deaths ‘not properly investigated’

Recent evidence uncovered by the BBC has suggested that Great Ormond Street Hospital failed to correctly investigate child deaths, when internal doubts over care were concealed and the source of one fatal infection was not examined.

Amid claims the hospital placed their reputation above patient care, former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt urged it to consider a “profound cultural problem”. The hospital responded by saying it rejected all suggestions that it treated the death of any child lightly.

The concerns over how the hospital is run appear to be shared by staff. The results of a recent staff survey show that in two aspects, including whether there was a culture of safety, it received the lowest score of all trusts. On three other questions, including how severe harassment and bullying were at the hospital and how good the quality of care was, staff rated it as among the worst.

Speaking of the survey, Jeremy Hunt said “If we want the NHS to offer the highest quality care in the world, then we have to change a blame culture and sometimes a bullying culture, for a learning and an improvement culture.

“That staff survey would indicate they don’t have that culture at Great Ormond Street. We know they deliver world-class care, it’s an extraordinary institution. I hope that if they’re going to preserve that, they will look at the profound cultural problems that the staff survey would appear to suggest is the case.”

In a recent statement, the hospital said “We currently have the lowest complaint rate in the country. But we do not always get everything right.

“We always look to provide the very best care for our patients and families and are always seeking to learn and share these learnings when things haven’t gone as we all would have hoped.”

Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence claims, providing support and guidance after life-changing events. Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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