Ombudsman Rob Behrens comments on the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) investigation of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB). The CQC has told the Trust that it needs to make improvements, especially around its culture, following inspections carried out in August and October last year.
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Rob Behrens said:
“This report reinforces what I have long been saying about patient and staff welfare and the culture at University Hospitals Birmingham. While we have seen signs of improvement when working with the Trust, there is further evidence here that change has not been fundamental and it is failing to learn from mistakes.
“It’s a real cause for concern to see that the dedicated staff working hard to deliver expert care do not feel safe and are still concerned about bullying. People are worried about speaking out for fear of repercussions.
“Those working at the Trust should be treated fairly and feel valued. They should be able to raise concerns and feel confident that when they do, they will be listened to. Real change is needed, but for that to happen the Trust must start listening and learning from mistakes to make sure patient safety incidents are not repeated.”