3,000 more patients 'died needlessly at five NHS hospitals' in the past two years



David Cameron has ordered an investigation into standards of care at trusts where death rates are persistently high

Basildon and Thurrock, Colchester, Tameside, Blackpool and East Lancashire hospitals to be inspected

Plans announced for performance-related pay for doctors and nurses



Probes: Prime Minister David Cameron has ordered further investigations into the standards of care at several trusts

More than 3,000 patients have died ‘unexpectedly’ in just five NHS trusts in the past two years.

The five are among nearly 20 hospitals facing inspections over concerns that thousands of patients are dying needlessly, it was revealed last night.

David Cameron has ordered an investigation into standards of care at trusts where death rates are persistently high.



In addition, he outlined plans for performance-related pay for doctors, nurses and managers based on their level of care.

He made the announcements on the day the author of the report into one of the Stafford hospital scandals warned a similar outrage could happen again.

The five hospitals which will be inspected are Basildon and Thurrock, Colchester, Tameside, Blackpool and East Lancashire, where death rates have been persistently high over the past two years.

Officials would not confirm which other hospitals face inspections, but over the past year a total of 20 trusts have been found to have high death rates. They include Wye Valley, Aintree University Hospitals, Mid Cheshire Hospitals, Northern Lincolnshire and Goole and Hull and East Yorkshire.



Mr Cameron told the Commons: ‘I have asked the NHS medical director, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, to conduct an immediate investigation into the care of hospitals with the highest mortality rates, and to check that urgent remedial action is being taken.



'The way Robert Francis (the report’s author) chronicles the evidence of systemic failure means we cannot say with confidence that failings of care are limited to one hospital.’

At risk: Ministers believe thousands of patients could be at risk because examples of poor care reminiscent of that at Stafford Hospital (pictured) and Cannock Chase Hospital are 'dotted around' the NHS

Damning: Robert Francis QC published a 1,700 page report with 290 recommendations following 'appalling care' at a Stafford hospital

Mr Cameron also took the unprecedented step of apologising to the families of patients who suffered ‘horrific abuse’ at the trust.

HOSPITALS AND THEIR 'PERSISTENTLY HIGH' DEATH RATES

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Observed deaths: 4,789

Expected deaths: 3,909

Difference: 879

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

Observed deaths: 5,203

Expected deaths: 4,584

Difference: 618

Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust

Observed deaths: 4,384

Expected deaths: 3,785

Difference: 598

Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Observed deaths: 3,864

Expected deaths: 3,356

Difference: 507

Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Observed deaths: 2,883

Expected deaths: 2,423

Difference: 459

He said: ‘This public inquiry not only repeats earlier findings but also shows wider systemic failings . . . so I would like to go further as Prime Minister and apologise to the families of all those who have suffered for the way that the system allowed such horrific abuse to go unchecked and unchallenged for so long.

‘On behalf of the Government – and indeed our country – I am truly sorry.’

Mr Cameron announced that hospital chief executives and chairmen could be sacked if patients say their trust’s care is poor. At present, senior managers are usually sacked only if their trust gets into debt or if they miss targets.

The Prime Minister also confirmed that healthcare assistants – untrained nurses – would be subject to new minimum standards and better training. This autumn, he will appoint a chief inspector of hospitals who will be responsible for checking they are clean, safe and caring, in the same way as schools inspectors check educational standards.

Mr Cameron said: ‘We need a hospital inspection regime that doesn’t just look at numeric targets, but makes a judgment about the quality of care.’

In addition, Mr Cameron has appointed MP Ann Clwyd – whose husband suffered appalling care – to investigate the NHS’s complaints system.

Mr Francis said the Mid Staffordshire scandal was not an ‘event of such rarity or improbability’, and he could not ‘assume that it has not been and will not be repeated’.

Under investigation: Tameside Hospital is one of almost 20 hospitals to be investigated over persistently high death rates

Debate: David Cameron spoke in the House of Commons about the public inquiry into failings at Stafford Hospital

Christine Green, chief executive of Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said she looked forward to receiving Sir Bruce’s team, adding it was ‘well recognised’ that the trust’s death rate had been elevated for the past two years.

Miss Green said: ‘Over recent years the hospital has undertaken an extensive quality improvement programme, which has seen significant quality gains across a wide range of other clinical indicators including hospital infections, falls, deep vein thrombosis screening and pressure ulcers.’

A spokesman for Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said they were committed to improving mortality rates, with all hospital deaths reviewed to identify any lessons that can be learned.