22/03/2024
NHSWBs Statement in response to the publication of the Dacre Report:
We view with great interest and concern the publication of Professor Dame Jane Dacre’s report, commissioned by the House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee, into the progress made following the series of Health and Social Care Independent Public Inquiries undertaken since 2010.
Professor Dacre’s report specifically focussed on maternity safety and leadership, staff training and culture of safety and whistleblowing. Amongst others, it included inquiries into the Morecombe Bay Maternity and Mid Staffordshire tragedies.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, at least to anyone working in the NHS, the report raises significant concern regarding the ‘lack of progress’ and ‘time taken for real action to be taken’ by the Government following receipt of the Inquiry reports and their recommendations. Her, perhaps understated, conclusion was that the situation ‘requires improvement.’
Given that this series of Independent Public Inquiries were undertaken as a result of recurrent, serious patient safety concerns, in most cases including avoidable deaths and very serious injuries, this lamentable lack of demonstrable progress is gravely concerning. This concern extends beyond current patients, previous patients and their grieving relatives and is of immense relevance to all healthcare professionals.
It is critical to realise that the common thread across these Inquiries is the important role played by whistleblowers, either healthcare professionals or patients / grieving relatives who were responsible for raising concern, commonly at significant personal and professional detriment, which led to the commissioning of the Inquiries.
Professor Dacre’s sentinel report enforces our group’s founding belief that the manner by which whistleblowers, both in the NHS and other professions, are handled, investigated and frequently subsequently mistreated and victimized, requires urgent review.
NHSWB hope that this report, the impending Health and Social Care Committee Inquiry into NHS leadership, performance, patient safety, culture and whistleblowing and the Thirlwall Inquiry will achieve significant and deliverable change in this critical area, which we believe will have a demonstrable, rapid and significant positive effect on patient and NHS staff safety.
Mr Martyn C Pitman - NHSWBs
