The co-leader of the National Health Action Party, Dr Richard Taylor said: "Yet again we have a report of abysmal care in an NHS hospital. Covering up the scandal was abhorrent and those responsible must be held to account. The National Health Action Party will campaign to bring senior doctors, nurses and midwives back into key leadership roles in NHS hospitals and fight the tide of managerialism that is interested more in financial balance and meeting targets than in safe, high quality care. The introduction of managerialism in the NHS has resulted in a culture of fear, which prevents openness and transparency."
This is their three point plan to restore confidence in patient care in the NHS:
1. Abolish the CQC. They and all their predecessors have failed time and time again.
2. Bring back a powerful patient voice by:
a. restoring bodies modelled on the Community Health Councils that were so effective that the then Labour health secretary, Alan Milburn, had to abolish them. None of their successors have had teeth.
b. reform the NHS complaints process that is toothless and hopeless now, to make it much more patient and complainer friendly.
c. institute independent local health officers. Look at the example from New Zealand : local commissioners have offices in every major town where there is a hospital and are for patients and whistleblowing staff to talk to to register concerns or complaints with total anonymity if desired. They are among the myriad of other suggestions in the Health Committee report on patient safety written in 2009.
3. Restore senior doctors and nurses to their leadership roles in NHS hospitals not subservient to managers and party politicians.
1. Abolish the CQC. They and all their predecessors have failed time and time again.
2. Bring back a powerful patient voice by:
a. restoring bodies modelled on the Community Health Councils that were so effective that the then Labour health secretary, Alan Milburn, had to abolish them. None of their successors have had teeth.
b. reform the NHS complaints process that is toothless and hopeless now, to make it much more patient and complainer friendly.
c. institute independent local health officers. Look at the example from New Zealand : local commissioners have offices in every major town where there is a hospital and are for patients and whistleblowing staff to talk to to register concerns or complaints with total anonymity if desired. They are among the myriad of other suggestions in the Health Committee report on patient safety written in 2009.
3. Restore senior doctors and nurses to their leadership roles in NHS hospitals not subservient to managers and party politicians.
