This week, Lord Darzi’s long-awaited report into patient safety in England's health service, reported that as few as 5% of patient safety incidents are reported, often because of staff fearfulness.
And today an influential committee of MPs reproaches the government for its continuing failure to take whistleblowing seriously. A new report by the Public Accounts Committee says MPs are “disappointed by the lack of urgency” the government has shown around whistleblowing, and also “concerned” at the narrow scope.
All this is a further embarrassment to Jeremy Hunt who this week hung out more patient safety tinsel, announcing a raft of initiatives to “end the cover-up culture” and ensure an NHS that has “safe space” for staff and “learns from mistakes”. But behind the soundbites, where’s the detail? I phoned the Department of Health, but they were unable (or unwilling) to put much flesh on the bones.
