Croydon North MP Steve Reed calls for government enquiry into high number of deaths at hospital
A FULL government inquiry into Croydon Health Services NHS Trust has been called for following fresh questions over an unusually high number of deaths – 150 more than expected – at Croydon University Hospital in 2007/08.
Croydon North MP Steve Reed said a full external inquiry is necessary to ensure no Mid Staffordshire-style "cover-up" has taken place and to answer allegations that several of the deaths could have been a result of catastrophic failings in care.
In 2010, the hospital's then chief executive, Nick Hulme, said the "vast majority" of deaths were down to "coding issues" – the same reason Mid Staffordshire, where 400-1,200 patients died due to poor care, originally gave for a high mortality rate.
He gave the reason in response to calls for a full government inquiry from Professor Sir Brian Jarman at the time.
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However, in a subsequent 2012 NHS London report, Mr Hulme appears to have backtracked. The report states: "If talking retrospectively about [Croydon's] Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratio (HSMR) he [Hulme] would support a full investigation and review of case notes and would not just state that these were attributable to coding errors."
The Advertiser contacted Mr Hulme but he refused to comment.
Mr Reed said the apparent shift raises fresh questions and renewed calls for a full Government inquiry.
He said: "I'm alarmed to learn that the hospital authorities have given no clear reason why there were so many more deaths in 2007/8 than would have been expected."
Mr Reed's comments come after Robert Francis QC, who released a report into Mid Staffordshire this week, suggested hiding information about poor care should be made a criminal offence.
A hospital spokesman said: "When numbers [of deaths] are unexpectedly high we carry out a detailed review of every case.
"The results of these investigations and any subsequent actions taken are reported to our board and to external agencies such as NHS London and the CQC."
3 Comments
by croydon_cynic
Thursday, February 21 2013, 11:12AM
“Croydon University Hospital might have changed its name, but we all still know it as Mayday and it retains the reputation it has always had. Bad. It starts at the top. The staff are miserable and disinterested. It's not clean. The administration is bureaucratic and inefficient. Take a look at either Guys or St Thomas hospitals to find out what a good hospital is like - treatment is seamless, everywhere is spotless, staff are smiling and everyone is extremely efficient. Don't tell me it's the numbers or the diversity - go to these other hospitals and see for yourself.”
by Ivor_Shed
Tuesday, February 12 2013, 1:40PM
“Dying in hospital is a worry - but sadly not dying is also quite worrying. Granny Shed has been in hospital a couple of times in the last 3 months and each time she was discharged she had a package of care organised - 6 weeks free then chargeable.
After the first visit she started the 6 weeks free but was back in Maydie within 5 weeks so that care package was cancelled (?). She was discharged in November with another 6 week free package lasting until the New Year (nothing in writing).
The carer comes each morning and makes an entry in a file on Granny Shed's dining table, and has been doing this every morning since mid October (except Christmas Day when although scheduled to come they didn't bother to turn up).
Granny received a bill last week for £400 to cover carer visits from mid October to end November demanding payment within 7 days. This is for a 30 minute visit once per day (she was discharged with a package of 3 visits per day but she cut it back to a morning visit only). If she had continued with the 3 daily visits her bill would have been for £1,200 payable within 7 days..
It took many emails to Croydon Adult Social Services to find the price of a visit and we have no agreed contract. I understand that the carer works for an agency who send a bill to Adult Social Services who bill Granny who pays Adult social services who pays the agency. It sounds as convoluted as buying horsemeat from a Dutch agent who buys it from a Cypriot agent who orders from a Romanian abbatoir on behalf of a French company that supplies a Luxembourg manufacturer who makes it for Tesco!
Having just received a bill for the 6 weeks in Oct/Nov it is quite difficult for an 86 year old to check that bill and quite difficult for us living in another country.
Since the bill was received we queried the bill giving them 3 days to respond. Needless to say we are still waiting for a response – and they are still waiting for payment.
No doubt we will get it sorted out but any commercial organisation that worked like this wouldn't last long in the real world.”
by Smogbadnew2
Tuesday, February 12 2013, 11:17AM
“It's not just the past mortality of the hospital that needs an inquiry.Last week's 2013 WHO report examining the extra new dangers of London air pollution needs an airing.With Diesel traffic already at increased levels in outer London, and the extra lorries the incinerator will bring, the health of the whole north of the borough is at risk.
Last week,by coincidence,was also the Parliamentary premier of Trashed....the new film with Jeremy Irons...about incinerators,ultrafine particles that reached the brain and the cancer dangers of dioxins (specifically made by burning chlorinated plastics). Zac Goldsmith said that it was impossible to regulate something as simple as the plastic bag because of the intense lobbying of Parliament by the industry.
It's up to you,he said! That's a bit rich,if you ask me.”