A WORRYING report into care at the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals should act a ‘wake-up call’ for health chiefs, said a patient representative.

Russ McLean, chairman of the Patient Voices Group, said he was ‘shocked and appalled’ by initial data published into the hospitals’ death rates.

In the Data Pack published by Sir Bruce Keogh, medical director of NHS England, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is frequently described as a below average performer, while several potential problems have been highlighted:

  • An ‘unusually high’ proportion of complaints that relate to clinical treatment (70 per cent compared to a national average of 47 per cent).
  • Two-thirds of comments recorded by a watchdog were negative, with concerns about staff levels, communication and attitudes of staff.
  • High rates of the infection MRSA from 2010 to 2012.
  • A high number of medical staff vacancies.
  • A high incidence of poor explanation or poor personal remedy for complaints, plus a high number of complaints against physicians.
  • Concern that trainee doctors had not been adequately trained or supervised.

Mr McLean said: “While I’m appalled and shocked by the findings, I am not surprised. The trust needs to acknowledge its mistakes and begin to re-build patient confidence.”

Mark Brearley, chief executive at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We do not want to cut across the review process and will await the final report to provide fuller comment. We believe on all our staff are committed to providing high quality and safe care to our patients.

“However, we are not complacent and we are aware that there are always things we can be looking to improve. The final report will give us the opportunity for learning.”