[Brenda Cook]

Matt,

This sounds like a really important topic to review, and any information that you, and colleagues elsewhere, can provide to inform my work in refreshing the Department of Health guidance would be appreciated. In addition to the specific challenges posed by NHS Foundation Trusts, I wonder whether you will identify issues for the role of those who commission the service that your OSC plans to review, and what their views are about their role in relation to dignity of care.

Good luck with it.

Brenda Cook

[Howard Boots]

Matt,

We in Tameside did a similar review looking at the hospital standardised mortality rate of the local general hospital which was quite poor at the time. Pl see the attached link:

http://www.tameside.gov.uk/scrutiny/pers...y/response

During the course of the course of the review the coroner went public on criticism of the hospital at several inquests calling the care for elderly and vulnerable patients chaotic and despicable. The local MP was hot on the case seeking a public inquiry and an action group of relatives was formed seeking much the same.

In fact the only public accountability was when the health scrutiny committee held the chief executive to account in front of a packed public gallery in a highly charged atmosphere. The committee had invited the MP and two members of the action group to join the panel for the meeting and were included in the questioning.

The outcome was an independent review arranged by the SHA which produced an improvement plan and the scrutiny committee working with the PCT on a reference group to monitor its implementation.

We have a video of the MP describing working with the scrutiny committee on our web site.

[tim gilling]

There are four Dignity in Care reviews in our review library:

• Leeds
• Middlesbrough
• Hackney
• North East Lincolnshire
  

I can't immediately say if any involved FTs but they may provide a starting point. The Healthcare Commission report published yesterday about care standards at Stafford Hospital might also provide useful background, although I believe the issues raised relate in part to the time period before that Trust received Foundation Status.