CQC 'Cover-Up': Father's Anger Over Scandal

The father of a boy who died at a hospital where failings were allegedly covered up by Care Quality Commission chiefs is calling for a "forensic" new investigation into the scandal.

James Titcombe, whose son Joshua died in the Cumbria maternity unit, told Sky News he also wants police to look at a criminal probe into who knew what, saying: "The allegations couldn't be more serious."

He was speaking after the CQC named the three people it said were present during a discussion about deleting a critical report about the regulator's inspections of Morcambe Bay NHS Trust.

The names of chief executive Cynthia Bower, her deputy Jill Finney and media manager Anna Jefferson had initially been withheld by the CQC, but they were identified on Thursday following mounting pressure on the regulator.

The three women deny that they tried to hide the report.

Mr Titcombe, who campaigns on behalf of other grieving families, said he had been "absolutely appalled" to learn that a cover-up appeared to go to the top of the organisation.

Joshua Titcombe's family raised concerns after he died at Furness Hospital

He said: "What's absolutely essential now is that the facts are obtained.

"We've heard about discrepancies and still there's denial.

"I think the police should now consider a formal criminal investigation to establish the facts."

He continued: "I believe the issues could be wider. I'm very concerned about that and I think what's essential now is that there's a forensic examination."

Any fresh investigation should ask probing questions about anyone else in the Department of Health was aware of a cover-up, he said.

Since the three women's names were revealed, Ms Bower has resigned from her current post as a non-executive trustee of the Skills for Health lobbying body, while Ms Finney has been sacked as chief commercial officer of internet domain company Nominet.

More than 30 families have taken action against Furness General - run by Morecambe Bay NHS Trust - in relation to deaths and injuries to mothers and babies since 2008.

Anna Jefferson denies suggesting the CQC review should be suppressed

It is claimed Ms Jefferson, who still works for the CQC, said during the key meeting: "Are you kidding me? This can never be in the public domain nor subject to FoI (a Freedom of Information request)."

But Ms Jefferson has told Sky News she "felt sick" and wanted to waive her anonymity when she realised she was implicated in a review by City consultants Grant Thornton, which was published on Wednesday.

She said she does not remember any instruction to delete the review being given and denies suggesting it could never be made public.

She claimed she pushed for proper external scrutiny of the CQC's actions regarding Morecambe Bay "several times", the last time on July 17, 2012, during a meeting where the CQC's current chief executive David Behan was present.

Mr Titcombe called for police to interview Ms Bower and senior colleagues after it emerged the CQC's former head and two officials previously declined to speak to officers about the baby's death.

The CQC told Cumbria Police in an email that statements from the trio would "not add any value" as they had no "direct day-to-day" involvement in the case.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has suggested that current or former CQC staff found to have been involved in a cover-up could be stripped of their pensions.

He said the CQC must follow "due process" but he would back the regulator "absolutely to the hilt" if it chose to take action against individuals.

Asked what action should be taken against those responsible, Mr Hunt told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "These are very, very serious allegations and they should have very, very serious consequences if they are proved.

The Health Secretary said those behind any cover-up could lose pensions

"I know the CQC are looking into disciplinary procedures and what can be done, what sanctions are available, whether you can have forfeiture of pensions, all those things."

Downing Street said Prime Minister David Cameron agreed that all sanctions should be on the table.

Tory health select committee member Charlotte Leslie called for an inquiry into a "sinister, Mafia-like network at the centre of NHS".

Meanwhile, Mr Behan and current CQC chairman David Prior are to be summoned to appear before the Commons health select committee.

Its chairman, Tory former health secretary Stephen Dorrell, said he has asked for them to be given an "early opportunity" to give evidence.

Morecambe Bay NHS Trust was given a clean bill of health by the CQC in 2010, but an internal review was ordered by the hospital regulator in 2011 into how failings resulting in deaths had gone unnoticed.

Grant Thornton's investigation found that the report was not made public because it was decided it was too critical of the CQC.

The investigators concluded this "might well have constituted a deliberate cover-up" by the CQC employees who decided it should not be made public.

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

CQC 'Cover-Up': Father's Anger Over Scandal

Dengan url

http://cucikakiku.blogspot.com/2013/06/cqc-cover-up-fathers-anger-over-scandal.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

CQC 'Cover-Up': Father's Anger Over Scandal

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

CQC 'Cover-Up': Father's Anger Over Scandal

sebagai sumbernya