Wednesday 14 October 2009

False waiting time figures probed

A hospital has apologised and launched an inquiry after hundreds of patients' records were altered to suggest NHS waiting time targets were met.

Records were changed to claim patients were treated within four hours at the Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham.

A review found 765 records were amended between March and September.

The hospital previously said it met government targets of treating 98% of patients within four hours, but the review shows in reality it did not.

1 comment:

blackdog said...

Having been a victim of this trusts disfunctional A&E Dept, I can see why they would want to 'fudge' the figures. In fact they seem to be masters at it, producing X-rays my partner says she never had, ECG's similar and not even an apology for the 6 hour wait for admission despite the fact that this particular case was supposed to be treated within 1 hour due to its life threatening nature.
No consultants available on Friday evenings; a department run by nurses and child doctors, notes mixed up, no pain relief other than acetominophen for 4 hours. The list goes on and on and yet at the local resolution meeting no person could be found to give light as to how these events occured on the basis of 'my team cannot answer for the A&E Dept, its separate from my Dept'.
Only the day before it was reported locally that this Area had paid out £45 million in compensation for negligence last year and as most who read this will know, to get anything your case has to be 'bomb proof'; most get nothing.
Every week we hear of some disaster with this Trust, usually involving the death or serious injury of perfectly viable patients. Thier ISTC went bust before it was completed, thier visitors car park was closed and demolished on safety grounds despite the fact they charged enormous fees to users and had recieved funds to rebuild it but did not. Now there is no visitor parking except for the disabled.
They have no cooling for wards and summer temperatures of 30c have been recorded contributing to discomfort and possible demise of some sick elderly patients.
Demolish the lot and start again is my view; no one especially me or mine wants ever to return.