CQC responds to Morecambe Bay Hospitals investigation report

CQC chief executive, David Behan, has responded to Dr Bill Kirkup’s report following his investigation into Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, regarding the unnecessary deaths of 11 babies and one mother at Furness General Hospital, as follows:

“We welcome today’s report and our sympathies are with the families who have suffered as a result of poor and unacceptable care. We hope it gives them answers to the questions they have been asking for many years. We have previously apologised, and today we repeat that apology, for CQC’s regulation of the trust not being as robust as it should have been and for missing opportunities to intervene to prevent poor care.

“We will study this report and consider carefully the recommendations that relate to CQC.

“CQC has radically changed the way we regulate and inspect hospitals in the last 18 months. What happened at University Hospitals Morecambe Bay has contributed to the changes and improvements we have made and continue to make. This progress is noted in today’s report.

“The trust is currently in special measures following a CQC inspection in February 2014 that rated it inadequate. We are due to inspect again in May to check progress on improvements but will go back sooner if we need to respond to concerns.”

Chadwick Lawrence’s team of Medical negligence lawyers have years of experience in high value and complex Medical negligence compensation claims and have an excellent record. The team is led by Tony May, a specialist cerebral palsy and birth injury solicitor, who has over 20 years experience in handling cases in which babies have been brain damaged or sustained other injuries as a result of Medical negligence. He and his team continue to represent many cerebral palsy children and young adults in Medical negligence claims. Tony also acts as the Court of Protection Deputy for many of the cerebral palsy and brain damaged clients that he has represented, so we can continue to support you after your case is settled. Tony can be contacted by email on tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk. Alternatively, please call and speak to any of Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist Medical negligence Legal Aid and no win-no fee solicitors for free legal advice on the freephone number below.

Freephone: 0800 028 2969

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Posted by Karen Motley, Paralegal, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (karenmotley@chadlaw.co.uk), Medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.