NHS POLICY FLAW_missing records_anyone else has simliar experience?

[frankieg]

I'm so sorry, you've spent so much time and effort on this it must be very upsetting to you to know they basically got away with gross negligence and no one cares. Is there anything else you can do, anyone you can contact? newspapers?, MP? Would the BMA and GNC look into it since part of the allegation is doctor and nurse negligence?. It's so disgraceful that your in this heads they win, tails you lose situation and it's so unfair that they can do this to people. Medical records should be regarded as a legal document, as they are in the USA where losing a chart is an automatically an admission of guilt. But I cant see that happing in the UK.

[EIVAD5]

Hello there.

 

I have contacted the BMA, GMC and my MP.

 

I have now written again to the MP to investigate this as its clearly is a risk to other patients....let alone whats happened here.

 

Its very sad that there is no protection at all for patients if they unexpectedly die, and records go missing.....bizarre.

 

Regards

[frankieg]

From your postings ,you've contacted a lot of people! Did any of them give any practical help?. All the places I've contacted about our hospital's one theater policy are 'horrified' but they are all just seem to exist to give guidance and information, they don't get involved. But the places they refer me to also 'just advise'. So who have you found -if any- thats actually been really helpful- and who the most useless?

[frankieg]

I only found out about this just now and wanted to post as soon as possiable in case I forget!! Have you heard of the 'Parliamentary Heath Commission'? WWW.ombudsman.org.uk 03450154033 ( they are confusing is also known as PALs). I'd hadn't but it seems they have their own ombudsman and supposedly do independent auditing and investigation. I was told about them by the Quality Care Commission who is worth talking to.

[EIVAD5]

Hello

 

yes I have tried the Health Commission and frustratingly they cannot do anything - whilst they pride themselves in solving issues of maladminstration - they just cannot help - in fact they where utterly useless in even suggessting what can be done.

 

I have tried so many organisations such as:

 

AVMA

PAL

PoWHER

Healthcare Commission

Local NHS trust

NHS Records Office

Information Commissioner

The GMC

Data Protection Support

Local MP

Department of Health

 

Unfortuantely I am getting no where.

 

The issue is no one seems to know what to do when records go mysteriously missing. the sad part is - that whilst its very personal to me to find out what went wrong - this does highlight a huge public risk, and a fundamental NHS flaw. The fact remains that if a NHS patient unexpectedly dies after treatment - all the trust has to do is 'lose' the records and nothing further can be done. Even on a legal standpoint - its a struggle as the medical records ais the key evidence needed - and when they are not around, a legal case is very tough to pursue.

 

Any suggesstions anyone else has please do let me know.

 

Thank you!

[frankieg]

Darn I had hopes about the parliamentary ombudsman. Have you tried the 'Independent Advocacy Complaints Association'? I just did and their sending me a form for a one on one councilor. Dont know if they'll be much help but worth a shot.

Edited March 23, 2010 by frankieg

[EIVAD5]

Hello - yes I contacted ICAS - and even they are unclear on what to do next. They really cannot help in taking or investigating this matter.

 

Very worrying!

[EIVAD5]

Hello

 

IF anyone has any similiar experiences of this - please do get in touch!...it seems that this Flaw in the NHS system is more common than we think......clearly the NHS knows that if they have done potentially something wrong - all they need to do is loose records - there is nothing that can be done!

[lady-in-red]

hi i think you have already read my blogg, the hospital actaully admitted the neglect then my son was flown to london on his return to the local we were taken to a room where we were told the neglect conversation had gone missing from his notes, these trsust even get their nurses to lie for them because if they dont lie then the nurses get sacked not fair is it how can anyone stand up against the NHS and tell the truth they cant or will lose their jobs

[lady-in-red]

our hospital admitted to us in a private room with nurses present that they had neglected out son, the chief of ITU himself said he could lose his job for telling us this but my son wasnt look after as he should have been he has many scares on his face caused by the lack of care when he was sedated and paralised, they wont tell us how he got the haematoma on his head, then after 7 weeks stay in the hospital they said the conversation where they admitted neglect had gone missing, they will lie for them selfs their nurses will lie, im disgusted with the NHS and how they cover up accidents done to our loved ones, they were in THEIR CARE AT THE TIME

[lady-in-red]

why cant the government put in place where if a doctor or nurse or anyone to do with the NHS can say what they saw, with out them losing their jobs, im sure there are thousands of nurses who see things but cannot blow the whisle because they will be bullied and victamised by their work colleges, this will never stop patients are put at risk more and more because NHS workers are to scared to speak up, its not fair, we the public deserve to know what happened to our loved ones in hospital yes there are mistakes as with my son, and the doctor admitted it was neglect, then weeks later says the conversations are lost in other means they have been taken out because he will lose his job, are the public not allowed to voice our opinions? this is whay the NHS keep getting taken to court not for money but to prove they lie and when found out all they get is a slap on the hand, these doctors must tell the nurses to keep quiet, is all it takes is one nurse or doctor to be honest surely in their heart their is some good surely they can see what people are going through, when my little grandaughter was in hospital not long ago a small asian boy was in as well, he was due to go home that day and was laughing with his dad, with in less than half an hour he was dead, the mother and father were doctors and nurses in that hospital, what did they do they called the police, now why didnt i think of that i should have phoned the police also when they put the DANR on my son i should have called the police when we went to visit him and found he had a huge haematoma on his head and demanded to know who this happened when he wa sedated and paralised, is this what the NHS want us to do? i will if it ever happens again, just as that young man phined the police because he was dying of thirst

[lady-in-red]

you will never get the truth from these trusts they run the hospitals themselves now, no one watches what they do anymore no one cares basically i have emailed about every one connected to the NHS trusts and not one person has helped me, its a closed shop, they can get away with MURDER and cover it up by taking things out of our notes to cover their backsides, maybe it will be a good thing if it does go private it will stop all this altogether people have had enough now the lies just fallout of the chief executives mouth, they back one another up, even when a nurse shouted at my son in ITU nothing was done to her, im sick to the teeth with the NHS and the trusts now to many chiefs and not enough indians in the NHS now ive now seen what they do to people and no one can stop it, many will lose their jobs with the cuts and i wont stand up for them , did they stand up for me??