A new county council group has formed to scrutinise the issues raised by Sir Bruce Keogh’s damning report on Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust.
Sir Bruce Keogh’s report into higher than average death rates at 14 health trusts listed a catalogue of concerns at Bucks, which runs Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
These included doubts over the trust’s managers, low staffing levels, poor morale, a ‘blame culture’ and a lack of empathy over patient complaints.
The working group within the council’s health and adult social care select committee will consider the configuration of acute hospital service provision, including issues of concern relating to accident and emergency provision in the Wycombe area.
The working group will carry out its investigation during August and September and then use the next health select committee meeting on September 26 to directly question the managers of Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust on its preliminary findings.
The group’s full report will then be compiled based on these responses.
Chair of the group and councillor Lin Hazell said: “The Keogh Review highlighted serious failings and it is the responsibility of the health and adult social care select committee to ensure that significant and effective action is being taken to address these.
“This working group has been formed to achieve this. I strongly recommend that all those with an interest in the quality of hospital services in Bucks attend the next full committee meeting on September 26 to hear the working group’s preliminary findings.”
