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| Surrey hospital ceases surgery on children | Surrey hospital ceases surgery on children |
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| A private hospital in Surrey has agreed to stop all surgery on children after a damning report from the Care Quality Commission, which said that patients' lives were being put at risk. | A private hospital in Surrey has agreed to stop all surgery on children after a damning report from the Care Quality Commission, which said that patients' lives were being put at risk. |
| The as yet unpublished report into Mount Alvernia hospital in Guildford, Surrey, followed inspections in January in response to concerns raised with the CQC. BMI Healthcare, which runs it, is one of the biggest providers of private healthcare in the UK and earned more than £200m from the NHS in 2011. The report will be politically sensitive, given the coalition government's encouragement of more private sector involvement in the NHS. | The as yet unpublished report into Mount Alvernia hospital in Guildford, Surrey, followed inspections in January in response to concerns raised with the CQC. BMI Healthcare, which runs it, is one of the biggest providers of private healthcare in the UK and earned more than £200m from the NHS in 2011. The report will be politically sensitive, given the coalition government's encouragement of more private sector involvement in the NHS. |
| The report states categorically that patients' lives were at risk at the luxury 76-bed hospital, where every room is en-suite. | The report states categorically that patients' lives were at risk at the luxury 76-bed hospital, where every room is en-suite. |
| "The care and treatment provided to patients at BMI Mount Alvernia hospital was unsafe. People were put at significant risk of harm to a life-threatening level. Children admitted for surgery were particularly at risk of unsafe and inappropriate care and treatment," it says. | "The care and treatment provided to patients at BMI Mount Alvernia hospital was unsafe. People were put at significant risk of harm to a life-threatening level. Children admitted for surgery were particularly at risk of unsafe and inappropriate care and treatment," it says. |
| Inspectors had a number of serious concerns: that there were occasions when surgery was unsafe; that staff were being told not to resuscitate some patients when their condition deteriorated, even though there had been no discussion with the patient or relatives; and that communication within the hospital was poor. | Inspectors had a number of serious concerns: that there were occasions when surgery was unsafe; that staff were being told not to resuscitate some patients when their condition deteriorated, even though there had been no discussion with the patient or relatives; and that communication within the hospital was poor. |
| One patient was transferred from an NHS hospital by his consultant "when the patient was acutely unwell". But the patient was not then reviewed by the consultant who admitted him to Mount Alvernia, and deteriorated. There was no communication with the previous consultant. | One patient was transferred from an NHS hospital by his consultant "when the patient was acutely unwell". But the patient was not then reviewed by the consultant who admitted him to Mount Alvernia, and deteriorated. There was no communication with the previous consultant. |
| "The assessment, planning and delivery of care of this person was not centred on them as an individual and failed to consider all aspects of their individual circumstances. It failed to identify significant risks and say how they would be managed for this patient," says the report. | "The assessment, planning and delivery of care of this person was not centred on them as an individual and failed to consider all aspects of their individual circumstances. It failed to identify significant risks and say how they would be managed for this patient," says the report. |
| When the patient's vital signs failed the consultant at Mount Alvernia told staff not to resuscitate, even though there had been no discussion with the patient or relatives as to their wishes. Other members of staff were said to be concerned. "There was an expectation from staff that a more positive approach should have been taken," says the report. | When the patient's vital signs failed the consultant at Mount Alvernia told staff not to resuscitate, even though there had been no discussion with the patient or relatives as to their wishes. Other members of staff were said to be concerned. "There was an expectation from staff that a more positive approach should have been taken," says the report. |
| The inspection team was concerned by an incident where surgery was carried out in an area without the correct system for ventilation and the disposing of gases used in anaesthesia. "The unit was therefore unsuitable for undertaking any procedures under general anaesthetic and the lack of theatre-standard ventilation posed a danger of infection to patients undergoing anything but very minor surgery," says the report. Inspectors considered this a particular danger to children. | The inspection team was concerned by an incident where surgery was carried out in an area without the correct system for ventilation and the disposing of gases used in anaesthesia. "The unit was therefore unsuitable for undertaking any procedures under general anaesthetic and the lack of theatre-standard ventilation posed a danger of infection to patients undergoing anything but very minor surgery," says the report. Inspectors considered this a particular danger to children. |
| The week before the inspection, the theatres could not be used because of a ventilation failure. A consultant surgeon instead insisted that surgery go ahead under general anaesthetic in another area. "One of the senior nurses who was on duty at the time said they had been very upset by the whole episode, as they had pointed out the risks and objected, but the surgeon had gone ahead with the operation," says the report. | The week before the inspection, the theatres could not be used because of a ventilation failure. A consultant surgeon instead insisted that surgery go ahead under general anaesthetic in another area. "One of the senior nurses who was on duty at the time said they had been very upset by the whole episode, as they had pointed out the risks and objected, but the surgeon had gone ahead with the operation," says the report. |
| The CQC said publication of the report had been delayed. "Following last-minute representations from the provider, we have agreed to give due consideration to two issues they raise before the report is published," it said. | The CQC said publication of the report had been delayed. "Following last-minute representations from the provider, we have agreed to give due consideration to two issues they raise before the report is published," it said. |
| "Following the inspection, CQC raised serious concerns with the provider and formally warned them that immediate improvements were required to protect people from coming to harm. As a result of our concerns being raised with them, BMI agreed to voluntarily suspend children's surgical admissions at the hospital and to start making other changes required. We have continued to monitor the hospital closely. Full details of our inspection will be published shortly." | "Following the inspection, CQC raised serious concerns with the provider and formally warned them that immediate improvements were required to protect people from coming to harm. As a result of our concerns being raised with them, BMI agreed to voluntarily suspend children's surgical admissions at the hospital and to start making other changes required. We have continued to monitor the hospital closely. Full details of our inspection will be published shortly." |
| BMI Healthcare has written to patients to apologise. "I would like to go on record to state that the failings at Mount Alvernia during 2012 were entirely unacceptable," said Stephen Collier, chief executive. "The hospital's practices let BMI and our patients down and I apologise for that." Staff at the hospital had "responded selflessly" to the CQC's criticisms, he said, and with a strengthened team and help from national experts, the failings had been fully addressed. | BMI Healthcare has written to patients to apologise. "I would like to go on record to state that the failings at Mount Alvernia during 2012 were entirely unacceptable," said Stephen Collier, chief executive. "The hospital's practices let BMI and our patients down and I apologise for that." Staff at the hospital had "responded selflessly" to the CQC's criticisms, he said, and with a strengthened team and help from national experts, the failings had been fully addressed. |
| "I want to assure all our patients across the UK that these issues were specific to Mount Alvernia and that we have since reviewed every one of our other hospitals and our reporting and escalation procedures to ensure that there are no similar issues elsewhere. There are not." | "I want to assure all our patients across the UK that these issues were specific to Mount Alvernia and that we have since reviewed every one of our other hospitals and our reporting and escalation procedures to ensure that there are no similar issues elsewhere. There are not." |
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