§ The Secretary of State for Health (Dr. John Reid)The report of the committee of inquiry into how the National Health Service handled allegations about the conduct of Clifford Ayling (Cm 6298) is being published today and copies have been placed in the Library. This is one of the three inquiries announced in July 2001 by my right hon. Friend, Alan Milburn, the then Secretary of State for Health. The other two inquiries were to consider how the NHS handled allegations about the conduct of Richard Neale, a former gynaecologist; and William Kerr and Michael Haslam, former psychiatrists.
The Government would like to thank Dame Anna Pauffley, the chairman of the inquiry, and the two members of her panel, Peter Berman and Mary Whitty, for their delicate handling of undoubtedly sensitive issues. Their report is painstakingly researched and 131WS provides in clear detail a history of events in the NHS that led, in December 2000, to Clifford Ayling's conviction on 12 counts of indecent assault. It charts the procedures then in place through which patients could raise concerns about their treatment; and the failures in those systems that let down many of Clifford Ayling's patients so badly. The Government are very grateful to Dame Anna and her panel for producing such a comprehensive report and to the secretariat and legal team for their tremendous support.
The Government are also grateful to those former patients of Clifford Ayling who came forward and provided evidence to the inquiry which must, at times, have been very difficult and painful. The systems in place in the NHS to help and support these patients who raised concerns about Clifford Ayling's behaviour and treatment let them down. No patient should be left in a position where those in charge of their care are able to abuse their trust and take advantage. My sympathies go to the patients involved in this case. They will have the benefit of knowing that their evidence will help to ensure that better and more robust systems will be put in place to avoid similar incidents in the future.
Similarly, the evidence provided by former colleagues was clearly very important to the inquiry in determining how the systems worked, or failed. Their candour in giving evidence is very much appreciated.
Since these events have come to light, we have taken a number of steps to help avoid similar incidents in the future and the report itself recognises that considerable change has taken place in the NHS since Clifford Ayling practised, concluding …
The impact of the Government's plans and investment in health services has dramatically altered the landscape of the NHS. At an organisational level, it is almost unrecognisable as the NHS in which Ayling practised. The emphasis on patient safety, remedial action for poor clinical performance, closer scrutiny of untoward events and empowering patients in the management of services are greatly welcomed.The changes introduced in recent years have already sought to address the weaknesses found by the inquiry as being a cause for concern. For this reason the inquiry has directed its recommendations towards strengthening the systems now in place rather than offering new or alternative proposals for action.
The Government welcome the recommendations in the report which include proposals both to address the issue of sexualised behaviour and to ensure that guidance is available for dealing with it; and that all trusts and primary care practices should have an explicit policy on the use of chaperones. These are important issues that will require detailed consideration if changes are to be implemented effectively. Likewise, the role of patient advocacy when dealing with 'sexualised behaviour' in both the hospital and the primary care setting will also require further detailed consideration.
The report acknowledges that considerable changes have already been made. These include substantial changes to the NHS complaints procedure and the current development of guidance to trusts on how to handle untoward incidents. Further changes are in hand and planned.
132WSIt recommends improvements to the recording of complaints against individual practitioners and the importance of co-ordinating complaints, coupled with the need to ensure that employers are aware of other employment being undertaken by their medical staff.
Other recommendations include requiring staff of NHS trusts and other healthcare organisations employing staff, such as deputising services, to declare concurrent employment and for this requirement to be suitably adapted to ensure that PCTs are kept informed of other professional work undertaken by GPs; the provision of better support for single-handed practitioners and their practice managers; and clarification of the roles of the respective professional and local bodies in primary care.
The Department of Health is also asked to develop a memorandum of understanding with professional regulatory bodies and the Crown Prosecution Service; and to work with strategic health authorities to provide guidance to trusts on handling untoward incidents.
Issues around complaints are also being considered by the Shipman inquiry, which is likely to produce recommendations in its fifth report due later this year. They are also being considered by the William Kerr/Michael Haslam inquiry whose report is also expected later this year. We will therefore consider these recommendations together with those of the Shipman, Neale and William Kerr/Michael Haslam inquiries and give a detailed response in due course.
The Department of Health is asked to take account of the inquiry's recommendations in the development of its current work on a memorandum of understanding with the NHS, the police and the Health and Safety Executive. We shall of course ensure that the report and its recommendations are brought to the attention of the project board taking this work forward. As part of this work, guidance is currently being developed for the NHS including a strategy for involving patients and others.
Our purpose in setting up this inquiry, as with all investigations of errors in the NHS, is to learn the lessons and put in place procedures to minimise the risk of similar errors occurring in the future. As already indicated, much work has already been done and further work is in hand. We very much welcome this report and its recommendations, and those of the Richard Neale inquiry also published today, with their emphasis on putting patients at the centre of health care. These reports will provide an important contribution to a continuing process of improvement.
We have made clear that patient safety is a priority and the UK has led the way in pushing forward in this area. Tomorrow, I will be talking to fellow EU health ministers about the lessons EU members can learn from one another and make clear that patient safety will be a key issue during the UK presidency of the EU next year.
It is completely unacceptable that the events described in this report were allowed to happen. In acting on the inquiry's recommendations we will be guided by the need to prevent future patients having to suffer in the same way as many patients of Clifford Ayling.