The NHS is heading for an additional main well being scandal until care improves and sufferers’ considerations are heard, the authorities’s affected person security commissioner has warned.

Dr Henriette Hughes warned well being leaders and ministers that the deal with “productiveness” and “monetary management” somewhat than affected person security was getting worse.

Launching her first report in her new position she stated: “Except leaders set a strategic intention to hearken to sufferers and act, we’re heading straight again to the times of Mid Staffs and different well being scandals, extreme hurt, and demise.”

“My clear message to leaders is – don’t let this occur in your watch.”

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The Mid Staffordshire scandal, which noticed 1,200 sufferers die resulting from poor care, is taken into account one of many largest-ever healthcare scandals within the UK. It prompted a public inquiry which revealed its findings in 2013.

Dr Hughes was appointed to her position as affected person security commissioner in response to the 2020 Cumberlegede overview of medical gadgets and medicines wherein tens of 1000’s of girls had been harmed by pelvic mesh and youngsters had been uncovered to sodium valproate, a therapy for epilepsy.

In a report following her first 100 days in workplace, Dr Hughes stated sufferers had instructed her about struggling lengthy waits to entry specialist pelvic mesh centres, struggling in ache and dealing with a “lack of respect” from well being companies.

It’s estimated that 100,000 individuals, principally girls, have had pelvic mesh surgical procedure previously twenty years, and round 10 per cent of these have developed long-term extreme well being issues following the process.

Following the Cumberledge overview, specialist centres for sufferers harmed by mesh procedures had been arrange by the NHS.

Nevertheless, the affected person security commissioner stated she “lacked confidence” that these centres had been developed with the involvement of sufferers after lengthy delays and difficulties accessing the companies had been reported.

Regardless of revelations within the Cumberledge overview of the drug sodium valproate inflicting deformities in youngsters when taken by girls throughout being pregnant, Dr Hughes stated three infants a month had been nonetheless being born following publicity to the drug.

She stated considerations over affected person hurt which led to the Cumberlege overview in the past proceed immediately and that wanted to alter.

She stated: “I’ve found that we want a seismic shift in the way in which that sufferers’ and households’ voices are heard,” she stated. “This requires modifications in laws, regulation, coverage, commissioning, training, professionalism, attitudes, behaviours, and tradition. In essence, the whole lot we do as a healthcare system as a result of the whole lot we do is about sufferers.”

“I would like nationwide our bodies, regulators, skilled our bodies, frontline employees, and affected person teams to step ahead and display their dedication to affected person security. I recognise that there are extreme pressures on the well being service, however so long as security is on the coronary heart of the whole lot, we’ll cut back avoidable hurt to sufferers.”

Dr Hughes additionally known as on well being leaders so as to add sufferers to their boards, including: “With out listening and performing on affected person voices, security continues to be compromised and sufferers and households proceed to undergo the results of hurt.”