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| Pressure grows on NHS hospital over eye operation failings | Pressure grows on NHS hospital over eye operation failings |
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| Pressure is growing on an NHS hospital where dozens of patients suffered impaired vision, pain and discomfort after undergoing eye operations provided by a private healthcare company to publish its report into what went wrong. | Pressure is growing on an NHS hospital where dozens of patients suffered impaired vision, pain and discomfort after undergoing eye operations provided by a private healthcare company to publish its report into what went wrong. |
| The shadow health minister, Andrew Gwynne, is calling for ministers to investigate what happened and said it was important that the hospital’s report was published. | |
| Gwynne said: “Ministers should look into this particular case. It’s clear that patients are being badly let down. If the NHS can learn lessons from the use of this private company, we must see the report in question.” | Gwynne said: “Ministers should look into this particular case. It’s clear that patients are being badly let down. If the NHS can learn lessons from the use of this private company, we must see the report in question.” |
| Patients and their relatives, including those of an 84-year-old man who claimed to have lost his sight following one of the routine cataract procedures, have demanded a full independent inquiry into what went wrong at Musgrove Park hospital in Taunton, Somerset. | Patients and their relatives, including those of an 84-year-old man who claimed to have lost his sight following one of the routine cataract procedures, have demanded a full independent inquiry into what went wrong at Musgrove Park hospital in Taunton, Somerset. |
| Instead, the Somerset hospital has carried out its own investigation. It is saying only that it has found “no clear single cause for the range of problems” of patients – but is refusing to publish the report on legal advice. | Instead, the Somerset hospital has carried out its own investigation. It is saying only that it has found “no clear single cause for the range of problems” of patients – but is refusing to publish the report on legal advice. |
| A spokeswoman for the Somerset hospital said it had planned to release the report – and still wanted to do so – but lawyers had advised that “individuals and parties” might sue for defamation. | A spokeswoman for the Somerset hospital said it had planned to release the report – and still wanted to do so – but lawyers had advised that “individuals and parties” might sue for defamation. |
| The decision is causing deep concern among health campaigners and lawyers who are working with some of the patients. It seems to fly in the face of the government’s commitment to openness about mistakes following the Mid Staffs hospital scandal and raises worrying questions about how open health professionals can be when a private healthcare company and an NHS trust work together. | The decision is causing deep concern among health campaigners and lawyers who are working with some of the patients. It seems to fly in the face of the government’s commitment to openness about mistakes following the Mid Staffs hospital scandal and raises worrying questions about how open health professionals can be when a private healthcare company and an NHS trust work together. |
| Clara Eaglen, eye health manager at the Royal National Institute of Blind People, said: “We are calling on Musgrove Park hospital to release this report to the public to ensure transparency and openness. | Clara Eaglen, eye health manager at the Royal National Institute of Blind People, said: “We are calling on Musgrove Park hospital to release this report to the public to ensure transparency and openness. |
| “It is unacceptable that an operation with such low risk of serious complications has left these patients with a reduced quality of life. We think it is very important that the details of what went wrong, and what steps were taken to protect patients, are made public.” | “It is unacceptable that an operation with such low risk of serious complications has left these patients with a reduced quality of life. We think it is very important that the details of what went wrong, and what steps were taken to protect patients, are made public.” |
| Asked about the case, the Department of Health said: “We’ve brought in tougher independent inspections for all hospitals so any service that’s not up to scratch, whether it’s run by the NHS or privately, will be forced to turn things around or be put into special measures. And from next year our new duty of candour will mean private hospitals will be legally required to report and apologise for mistakes, increasing transparency for patients and families.” | Asked about the case, the Department of Health said: “We’ve brought in tougher independent inspections for all hospitals so any service that’s not up to scratch, whether it’s run by the NHS or privately, will be forced to turn things around or be put into special measures. And from next year our new duty of candour will mean private hospitals will be legally required to report and apologise for mistakes, increasing transparency for patients and families.” |
| Musgrove appointed Vanguard Healthcare Solutions in May to carry out 400 cataract operations to help reduce a waiting list of patients needing treatment. The procedures were to take place in a mobile operating theatre at the hospital site. But about half of the first 60 patients, many of them elderly and frail, suffered complications including blurred vision, pain and swelling, and the contract was cancelled. | Musgrove appointed Vanguard Healthcare Solutions in May to carry out 400 cataract operations to help reduce a waiting list of patients needing treatment. The procedures were to take place in a mobile operating theatre at the hospital site. But about half of the first 60 patients, many of them elderly and frail, suffered complications including blurred vision, pain and swelling, and the contract was cancelled. |
| Musgrove, which is part of Taunton and Somerset NHS foundation trust, has revealed that it has finished its inquiry and has shared the findings with patients, and will talk to healthcare bodies such as the Care Quality Commission about them. But it says it will not let the general public know what was in the report. Patients have been warned not to pass the report on. | Musgrove, which is part of Taunton and Somerset NHS foundation trust, has revealed that it has finished its inquiry and has shared the findings with patients, and will talk to healthcare bodies such as the Care Quality Commission about them. But it says it will not let the general public know what was in the report. Patients have been warned not to pass the report on. |
| In a statement the hospital said: “We have now concluded a thorough investigation. The purpose of this was to try and establish what happened to cause the complications that the patients operated on in the Vanguard mobile theatre experienced, and how we could learn from these events to minimise the risk of recurrence in the future. | In a statement the hospital said: “We have now concluded a thorough investigation. The purpose of this was to try and establish what happened to cause the complications that the patients operated on in the Vanguard mobile theatre experienced, and how we could learn from these events to minimise the risk of recurrence in the future. |
| “As with similar ophthalmic incident clusters there is no clear single cause for the range of problems our patients appear to have experienced. | “As with similar ophthalmic incident clusters there is no clear single cause for the range of problems our patients appear to have experienced. |
| “Instead we have identified a number of factors which may have led to the unusually high level of complications seen. The detail of the investigation has been shared with patients.” | “Instead we have identified a number of factors which may have led to the unusually high level of complications seen. The detail of the investigation has been shared with patients.” |
| Laurence Vick, a medical negligence lawyer who has been approached by some of the victims, said the hospital appeared to be playing down the severity of what went wrong. | Laurence Vick, a medical negligence lawyer who has been approached by some of the victims, said the hospital appeared to be playing down the severity of what went wrong. |
| He said: “These patients have suffered very real problems, including one of our clients, an 84-year-old man, who has been left blind and requiring a retinal transplant. We have been waiting for this investigation for five months, and it is imperative that it is released to the public.” | He said: “These patients have suffered very real problems, including one of our clients, an 84-year-old man, who has been left blind and requiring a retinal transplant. We have been waiting for this investigation for five months, and it is imperative that it is released to the public.” |
| Vick, head of clinical negligence at Michelmores solicitors, said the hospital should share details such as how the private provider was vetted and monitored and whether there was adequate liaison between the NHS staff and Vanguard’s workers. He said patients and the public had a right to know if steps were taken as swiftly as possibly to halt the contract. | Vick, head of clinical negligence at Michelmores solicitors, said the hospital should share details such as how the private provider was vetted and monitored and whether there was adequate liaison between the NHS staff and Vanguard’s workers. He said patients and the public had a right to know if steps were taken as swiftly as possibly to halt the contract. |
| He added: “The fear is that, when the private sector is involved, there can be an absence of the transparency that has become a reassuring feature of the NHS. | He added: “The fear is that, when the private sector is involved, there can be an absence of the transparency that has become a reassuring feature of the NHS. |
| “There is concern as to whether the NHS should outsource to a private health sector that is still inadequately regulated. Private companies, after all, have a duty to shareholders as well as patients. If they are keen to work with the NHS, they need to be entirely transparent. | “There is concern as to whether the NHS should outsource to a private health sector that is still inadequately regulated. Private companies, after all, have a duty to shareholders as well as patients. If they are keen to work with the NHS, they need to be entirely transparent. |
| “From the taxpayer’s point of view, we also need to know that Musgrove secured an effective indemnity from Vanguard or its insurers, to cover the cost of compensation claims.” | “From the taxpayer’s point of view, we also need to know that Musgrove secured an effective indemnity from Vanguard or its insurers, to cover the cost of compensation claims.” |
| Ian Gillespie, Vanguard’s chief executive, said: “Our focus remains first and foremost on the patients and their care, and I’d like to personally convey my sympathy for any patients who have experienced discomfort or distress. | Ian Gillespie, Vanguard’s chief executive, said: “Our focus remains first and foremost on the patients and their care, and I’d like to personally convey my sympathy for any patients who have experienced discomfort or distress. |
| “This was a collaborative contract, and we have been working closely with the trust throughout this investigation. The investigation does not identify any one cause, but instead points to a number of different factors which may have led to the complications experienced by patients. No issues have been identified with the Vanguard mobile theatre facility itself; however, there are clearly lessons to be learned by all parties. We are working with the trust to ensure that measures are put in place to prevent this happening again.” | “This was a collaborative contract, and we have been working closely with the trust throughout this investigation. The investigation does not identify any one cause, but instead points to a number of different factors which may have led to the complications experienced by patients. No issues have been identified with the Vanguard mobile theatre facility itself; however, there are clearly lessons to be learned by all parties. We are working with the trust to ensure that measures are put in place to prevent this happening again.” |