One in four hospitals reported to be breaking the law due to poor health care

A report released last week has shown that one in four hospitals are failing to keep up sufficient standards of care and are putting patients at risk of harm. It has also been shown that in care homes elderly patients are being neglected with many being left without sufficient pain relief when needed.

The report issued by the Care Quality Commission warned that 131 hospitals were failing to meet the legal standards relating to the care and safety of patients. The figures are even more worrying when it comes to care homes where 3,357 or 28 per cent of them are failing to meet legal standards.

As a result of the report three NHS trusts Barking, Havering and Redbridge; United Lincolnshire; and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay were all put under investigation amongst fears that they putting patients in imminent danger. In addition four care homes were also closed.

Commenting on the report Dr Peter Carter, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing said: ‘It is shocking that more than one in four locations inspected have failed to meet even essential standards of quality and safety.’

‘We are reassured the CQC has taken action to address these failings; nevertheless, this presents a long overdue wakeup call for the Government.’

Michelle Mitchell, charity director of Age UK, said: ‘This report shows that thousands of vulnerable and frail older people are receiving unacceptable standards of social care.’

‘It is unacceptable that over a quarter of the adult social care providers inspected were judged to have failed to meet all essential standards of quality and safety.’

This entry was posted on Friday 6th July, 2012. Edit this entry.