§ Mr. Geoffrey RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps were taken by the Walsgrave NHS Trust management to investigate the surgical mistake that resulted in an anvil being left in a patient's rectum; and when the patient was informed of the mistake. [159611]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer sent 03 May 2001]: Our White Paper "A First Class Service" sets out a requirement for all organisations within the National Health Service to set up and implement a clinical governance framework, which identifies procedures to be followed when reporting and investigating clinical and untoward incidents. Such procedures should enable incidents to be investigated thoroughly in a culture of openness and reflection to ensure lessons are learnt and clinical practice improved.
In this particular case, a clinical incident report was completed on 10 December 2000. The head of nursing for theatres was asked to undertake a thorough investigation to review and revise the necessary trust theatre procedures.
363WAs a result of the investigation, the importance of following theatre-checking procedures was reinforced to theatre managers and staff, and all theatre procedures were reviewed and amended accordingly to reflect lessons learned through this incident.
The clinical director for surgery has ensured that junior doctors involved in colorectal surgery have a clear understanding of the operating mechanisms of the stapling gun. In addition, the Trust medical director also wrote to all consultant surgeons who carry out colorectal surgery reminding them of the need to be present throughout this kind of surgery.
The consultant surgeon responsible for his care informed the patient on 18 January 2001 that the anvil had been left in his rectum following the operation of 4 December 2000. The patient's wife and another family member together with the specialist stoma nurse were present during this discussion.
§ Mr. Geoffrey RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the total cost incurred by the Walsgrave NHS Trust since the suspension of Mr. Barros D'Sa on account of that suspension, including the suspended surgeon's salary, disciplinary hearings and related procedures and legal and court costs. [159610]
§ Ms Stuart[holding answer 3 May 2001]: The total cost incurred by the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire National Health Service Trust in regard to this matter was £171,605 at the end of March 2001. This cost includes elements relating to the salary of the suspended consultant, costs of locum cover, the setting up of an Inquiry Panel in accordance with HC(90)9, legal and court costs and mediation meeting costs.
The National Clinical Assessment Authority will issue new guidance to NHS organisations later this year on handling suspensions and will consider any outstanding cases which are still awaiting resolution.
§ Mr. Geoffrey RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average peri-operative mortality rates for rectal cancer operations were in(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000 for (i) England, (ii) the West Midlands and (iii) Walsgrave NHS Trust excluding the St. Cross Hospital at Rugby. [159612]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 3 May 2001]: The table shows a count of discharges from hospital for patients where the main operation was on the rectum and the main diagnosis was 'malignant neoplasm of rectum'. This information is for National Health Service hospitals in England, West Midlands and the Walsgrave Hospitals NHS Trust in 1996–97 to 1999–2000 and includes both emergency and planned operations undertaken in this period.
364W
Live discharges Mortality 1996–97 Walsgrave NHS Trust 49 1— West Midlands 732 32 England 5,480 228 1997–98 Walsgrave NHS Trust 39 1— West Midlands 694 32 England 5,381 250
Live discharges Mortality 1998–99 Walsgrave NHS Trust 58 1— West Midlands 681 32 England 5,649 241 1999–2000 Walsgrave NHS Trust 59 1— West Midlands 675 23 England 5,773 210 1Owing to reasons of confidentiality, figures between one and five at trust level are not normally published. Notes:
1. The main operation is the first of four operation fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set, and is usually the most resource intensive performed during the episode.
2. The main diagnosis is the first of seven diagnosis fields in the HES data set, and prov ides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
3. Figures in this table have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data.
4. The Walsgrave Hospitals NHS Trust became the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust in 2000.
5. The statistics provided are whole trust statistics and include St. Cross Hospital in Rugby for the time it has been a part of the trust.
Source:
HES Department of Health
The average peri-operative rates during the four year period 1996 to 2000 is:
Total discharges Mortality Rate percentage 1996–2000 Walsgrave NHS Trust 216 11 5.1 West Midlands 2,901 119 4.1 England 23,212 929 4.0 Note:
The average number of deaths related to rectal cancer operations at the former Walsgrave Hospitals NHS Trust is less than three per year.
Source:
Department of Health