NHS has ‘culture of cover-up' over failures, Health Secretary says
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the NHS has a 'culture of cover-up' as he apologised for failures that are said to have left a woman permanently disabled.
He told MPs there is 'too much of that happening' in the NHS, and that reputations are protected instead of patients being told the truth.
The minister's comments came after Labour MP Perran Moon (Camborne and Redruth) told him about the experience of a woman in his constituency who suffered from nerve damage after a hip operation, but was told her pain was 'common'.
Mr Moon said: 'A couple of weeks ago at my constituency surgery, through the tears, my constituent Amy explained how, following a hip operation in 2008, she suffered progressive nerve damage due to repeated failures in diagnosis, referral and treatment.
'Despite raising concerns for years, she was told her pain was common.
'A nerve test in 2015 confirmed damage and further tests last year showed a significant deterioration. After 17 years, she's only now been offered surgery.
'All Amy wants to know is what steps are being taken to ensure that no other patient is left permanently disabled due to such long and systemic failures.'
Responding, Mr Streeting said: 'Can I first of all, on behalf of the NHS, apologise to his constituent.
'That is a totally intolerable situation, but sadly not rare or exceptional.
'There's too much of that happening and a culture of cover-up and covering reputations, rather than being honest with patients about failures.
'We are changing the culture, safety is at the heart of the 10-year plan, and I'd be delighted to talk to him further about his constituent's case.'
Elsewhere during health and social care oral questions on Tuesday, the Government was challenged on the difficulties that pharmacies are facing.
Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden (South Devon) told MPs the 'current funding model doesn't take into account the lower footfall and the limited referral rates that are common in rural areas'.
She said: 'If a pharmacy in a small market town closes, it can cause extreme difficulties for people to access advice and medicines, particularly where there is little or no public transport and they have to go a long way.'
Conservative shadow health minister Dr Luke Evans raised the cap on funded consultation appointments that pharmacies can schedule through the Pharmacy First Scheme.
He said: 'Once they hit that cap, they are no longer paid the £17 per consultation.
'That, in turn, may mean patients will either be turned away or the pharmacist has to take the hit and has to pay for it themselves.'
Care minister Stephen Kinnock replied: 'The pharmacy sector is facing huge challenges after massive cuts over the last 14 years. We're beginning to rebuild, but there are particular challenges for rural pharmacies.
'We are looking at comprehensive reform in the pharmacy sector around better use of technology, hub-and-spoke dispensing and a range of other options which would enable better remote dispensing for rural pharmacies.'
He told Dr Evans that the 'record uplift' of £3.1 billion for the pharmacy sector was coming in 'after years of underfunding, incompetence and neglect' from the Conservatives, and that the allocation of funding will be looked at in their reforms.
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