Ambulances referred by NHS 111 service deliberately delayed

[Guy Fawkes]

Ambulances referred by NHS 111 service deliberately delayed under secret trust policy, inquiry finds
Probe concludes decision to embark on the plan which affected 20,000 patients was taken by boss of South East Coast Ambulance trust

Ambulances dispatched after people called the NHS 111 helpline were deliberately delayed under a secret policy authorised by a senior health service executive, a leaked report seen by The Daily Telegraph reveals.

Up to 20,000 patients were subject to deliberate delays under the covert operation, which forced high-risk cases in the South East to automatically wait up to twice as long if their call was referred from the helpline. An inquiry into the scandal, which was exposed by this newspaper in October, has concluded that the decision to embark on the plan was taken by the chief executive of South East Coast Ambulance trust.

Under NHS rules, calls designated as “life-threatening” are supposed to receive an ambulance response within eight minutes - regardless of whether the caller dials 999 or the non-emergency 111 line. But the ambulance trust, which covers Sussex, Kent, Surrey and North East Hampshire, unilaterally invented its own system to "stop the clock" and routinely downgrade 111 calls.

As a result, up to 20,000 callers - including cases classed as “life-threatening” – were told that an ambulance was on its way, when in fact the call had been placed in an automatic queue, adding up to 10 minutes to their wait.

At least 11 deaths have been linked to the rogue protocols. They include that of a 60-year-old Sussex man who was forced to wait 35 minutes for an ambulance, despite suffering clear signs of a cardiac arrest while on the phone to 111 call handlers.

More here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/nhs...-under-secret-trust-policy-inquiry-finds.html

Absolutely shocking and disgusting, why on earth would anyone decide to do this and deliberately and unnecessarily endanger lives? - And if it led to avoidable deaths, a case for manslaughter charges to be brought against those responsible for the system?

 

[sir albion]

I'd suspect like many things in this country is a cost saving measure in some sort of way...bloody ridiculous

 

[Guy Fawkes]

I'd suspect like many things in this country is a cost saving measure in some sort of way...bloody ridiculous

Reading the article i'd disagree - seems more about fiddling the figures to make it look like it was better at meeting it's targets than it would otherwise have been

The orders to "stop the clock" also allowed the trust to falsely claim it was hitting key NHS performance targets, improving performance by up to 5 per cent.

The report ordered by NHS regulator Monitor, is deeply critical of the decisions taken by Mr Sutton, who has led the trust since 2006, on a salary of £160,000, after receiving a £30,000 pay rise over two years.

It also criticises senior managers for claiming plans had been authorised by local commissioners, who in fact had not been alerted.

And it accuses senior executives of attempting to cover up their failings when the truth began to emerge.

The damning report concludes: “Our overall conclusion from this review is that there were a number of fundamental failings in governance at the trust which resulted in the implementation of a high risk and sensitive project without adequate clinical assessment or appraisal by the board, commissioners or the 111 service.

"The CEO made the ultimate decision to proceed with the pilot and played a critical leadership role throughout.”

 

[Lord Bracknell]

As far as the non-emergency patient transport service is concerned, the current contract between the NHS and the South East Coast Ambulance Service comes to an end on 31 March 2016. After that date, transport will be provided by Coperforma Ltd, a private company based in Hampshire. SECAMB didn't even submit a tender. It will be a decision for Coperforma to decide whether or not to use SECAMB as a provider. The 999 Emergency Ambulance service is still subject to a contract between the NHS and SECAMB.

 

[sir albion]

Reading the article i'd disagree - seems more about fiddling the figures to make it look like it was better at meeting it's targets than it would otherwise have been

Yeah the obsession with meeting targets is bloody ridiculous..I recall on LBC that an ambulance was sent on a 400 mile round trip to pick a person up just to meet a target.
I thought maybe they had cut down on staff and replaced them by an automated service or something.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Reading the article i'd disagree - seems more about fiddling the figures to make it look like it was better at meeting it's targets than it would otherwise have been

The report ordered by NHS regulator Monitor, is deeply critical of the decisions taken by Mr Sutton, who has led the trust since 2006, on a salary of £160,000, after receiving a £30,000 pay rise over two years.

No manager should get a salary like that, regardless of their status. There have been several cases of trust managers having to be paid off to the tune of £250K. Money is being wasted hand over fist.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

The report ordered by NHS regulator Monitor, is deeply critical of the decisions taken by Mr Sutton, who has led the trust since 2006, on a salary of £160,000, after receiving a £30,000 pay rise over two years.

No manager should get a salary like that, regardless of their status. There have been several cases of trust managers having to be paid off to the tune of £250K. Money is being wasted hand over fist.

Makes you wonder if it was all a basic salary or whether any of it was bonus related dependent on results?

One thing that i recall being used in the past to justify such large salaries was that they have the responsibility on their shoulders and could face jail if things go wrong - But has anyone in this sort of power or position ever gone to jail? (some don't even lose their jobs or not until a public outcry if it's reported well enough)
For example:
The Baby P case (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11621391)

Or this: http://justiceforfirefighters.co.uk/

In 2006 Geoff Wicker and Brian Wembridge lost their lives tackling a fire at Marlie Farm. After investigation, this was found to be down to negligence on the part of the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. Despite a court ruling that compensation must be paid, the fire service is refusing and stopping the bereaved families recovering from this traumatic event.

Why are we still asking for this now eight years after the tragic event?

 

[Acker79]

Is it just me, or is that really bad writing?

Ambulances referred by NHS 111 service deliberately delayed under secret trust policy, inquiry finds
Probe concludes decision to embark on the plan which affected 20,000 patients was taken by boss of South East Coast Ambulance trust

Ambulances dispatched after people called the NHS 111 helpline were deliberately delayed under a secret policy authorised by a senior health service executive, a leaked report seen by The Daily Telegraph reveals.

Up to 20,000 patients were subject to deliberate delays under the covert operation, which forced high-risk cases in the South East to automatically wait up to twice as long if their call was referred from the helpline. An inquiry into the scandal, which was exposed by this newspaper in October, has concluded that the decision to embark on the plan was taken by the chief executive of South East Coast Ambulance trust.​

All three of those paragraphs say the same thing.

Under NHS rules, calls designated as “life-threatening” are supposed to receive an ambulance response within eight minutes - regardless of whether the caller dials 999 or the non-emergency 111 line. But the ambulance trust, which covers Sussex, Kent, Surrey and North East Hampshire, unilaterally invented its own system to "stop the clock" and routinely downgrade 111 calls.

As a result, up to 20,000 callers - including cases classed as “life-threatening” – were told that an ambulance was on its way, when in fact the call had been placed in an automatic queue, adding up to 10 minutes to their wait.​

There's a bit more info here, but it still ultimately boils down to the same thing.

At least 11 deaths have been linked to the rogue protocols. They include that of a 60-year-old Sussex man who was forced to wait 35 minutes for an ambulance, despite suffering clear signs of a cardiac arrest while on the phone to 111 call handlers.​

Surely things like this should be the bulk of the story? Or is it like those womens magazines with headlines such as 'Big Mac got me pregnant' then you read the story and find someone went to get a big mac, met an old flame on the way, hooked up and got pregnant, and she's so happy and it 'never would have happened if she didn't go for that big mac', and a closer look at these linked deaths would undermine the story?

 

[AmexRuislip]

As far as the non-emergency patient transport service is concerned, the current contract between the NHS and the South East Coast Ambulance Service comes to an end on 31 March 2016. After that date, transport will be provided by Coperforma Ltd, a private company based in Hampshire. SECAMB didn't even submit a tender. It will be a decision for Coperforma to decide whether or not to use SECAMB as a provider. The 999 Emergency Ambulance service is still subject to a contract between the NHS and SECAMB.

My father in law is soon to start dialysis.
As the Conquest in Hastings does accomodate this, he had to go over to Brighton for this early doors to be prepared for the initial prep.
He had patient transport booked to collect him at 0630.
After eventually turning up two hours late, the volunteer driver got him there.
Basically the driver said that they were short of helpers and did not really know of when the takeover would be.

 

[glasfryn]

speak as I find
twice in the last 12months my other half contacted 111 and a Dr rang back almost immediately an ambulance was called by the Dr and I was in the DGH within 20 mins
maybe I was just lucky?

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

speak as I find
twice in the last 12months my other half contacted 111 and a Dr rang back almost immediately an ambulance was called by the Dr and I was in the DGH within 20 mins
maybe I was just lucky?

I don't know if you were lucky or not.
My Mum, who lives in Eastbourne, had heart palpitations last night at 7pm, this is a fairly common problem for her, she called my sister, who is a nurse, she called an ambulance for her.
2, yes 2 hours later it turns up and takes her to DGH. The ambulance came from Hastings, turns out her pulse was over 200 but she is ok now, she got home after midnight.
To say I am angry is a vast understatement.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Is it just me, or is that really bad writing?

Ambulances referred by NHS 111 service deliberately delayed under secret trust policy, inquiry finds
Probe concludes decision to embark on the plan which affected 20,000 patients was taken by boss of South East Coast Ambulance trust

Ambulances dispatched after people called the NHS 111 helpline were deliberately delayed under a secret policy authorised by a senior health service executive, a leaked report seen by The Daily Telegraph reveals.

Up to 20,000 patients were subject to deliberate delays under the covert operation, which forced high-risk cases in the South East to automatically wait up to twice as long if their call was referred from the helpline. An inquiry into the scandal, which was exposed by this newspaper in October, has concluded that the decision to embark on the plan was taken by the chief executive of South East Coast Ambulance trust.​

All three of those paragraphs say the same thing.

Under NHS rules, calls designated as “life-threatening” are supposed to receive an ambulance response within eight minutes - regardless of whether the caller dials 999 or the non-emergency 111 line. But the ambulance trust, which covers Sussex, Kent, Surrey and North East Hampshire, unilaterally invented its own system to "stop the clock" and routinely downgrade 111 calls.

As a result, up to 20,000 callers - including cases classed as “life-threatening” – were told that an ambulance was on its way, when in fact the call had been placed in an automatic queue, adding up to 10 minutes to their wait.​

There's a bit more info here, but it still ultimately boils down to the same thing.

At least 11 deaths have been linked to the rogue protocols. They include that of a 60-year-old Sussex man who was forced to wait 35 minutes for an ambulance, despite suffering clear signs of a cardiac arrest while on the phone to 111 call handlers.​

Surely things like this should be the bulk of the story? Or is it like those womens magazines with headlines such as 'Big Mac got me pregnant' then you read the story and find someone went to get a big mac, met an old flame on the way, hooked up and got pregnant, and she's so happy and it 'never would have happened if she didn't go for that big mac', and a closer look at these linked deaths would undermine the story?

I didn't post the whole article as it is very long - open the link and read it all where you get a lot more info (1st post complaints are probably just from very bad editing on my part)


It's worth reading the whole thing - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/nhs/...iry-finds.html

 

[drew]

The report ordered by NHS regulator Monitor, is deeply critical of the decisions taken by Mr Sutton, who has led the trust since 2006, on a salary of £160,000, after receiving a £30,000 pay rise over two years.

No manager should get a salary like that, regardless of their status. There have been several cases of trust managers having to be paid off to the tune of £250K. Money is being wasted hand over fist.

How much do you think the CEO of an organisation responsible for a £200m budget and 3200 staff should actually receive. Also, how have you calculated that or is it just a guestimate?

I'm not condoning what Sutton has done and I hope he gets charged but £160k seems quite low for an organisation that size.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

speak as I find
twice in the last 12months my other half contacted 111 and a Dr rang back almost immediately an ambulance was called by the Dr and I was in the DGH within 20 mins
maybe I was just lucky?

Maybe the Dr calling had something to do with it ?

 

[glasfryn]

I don't know if you were lucky or not.
My Mum, who lives in Eastbourne, had heart palpitations last night at 7pm, this is a fairly common problem for her, she called my sister, who is a nurse, she called an ambulance for her.
2, yes 2 hours later it turns up and takes her to DGH. The ambulance came from Hastings, turns out her pulse was over 200 but she is ok now, she got home after midnight.
To say I am angry is a vast understatement.

Maybe the Dr calling had something to do with it ?

this could be why?
my symtoms were pretty drastic and at first they thought it was menengitis, turns out it was GCA which has now lead to polymyalgia rheumatica....................................but if it had not been diagnosed could have lead to blindness and still could.
biopsis (s) showed it was caught in time so now on steroids along with all the other drugs.
since living in Eastbourne I might as well have had a season ticket for the DGH (maybe this is because since moving its come right on the cusp as far as age is concerned) its all started going wrong at the same time.
I changed doctors a few years ago and it was the best thing I done, she is excellent, understanding and I have every confidence in her.
it seems like the PMR has been coming on for quite a while, very mixed symtoms and then suddenly appears, this makes things fit into place, so you will never hear me worrying about what is happening inthe NHS especially at my local hospital.

the only person who worries me is Mr Hunt

 

[Thunder Bolt]

How much do you think the CEO of an organisation responsible for a £200m budget and 3200 staff should actually receive. Also, how have you calculated that or is it just a guestimate?

I'm not condoning what Sutton has done and I hope he gets charged but £160k seems quite low for an organisation that size.

I haven't guessitmated it. It was a copy & paste from the article.

 

[dingodan]

A CEO who fiddles the books goes to prison, I don't see why this should be viewed any differently, it's far more disturbing with far more serious consequences than financial wrongdoing. I'm not a vindictive person at all, but seriously this must be considered criminal, surely?

 

[happypig]

How much do you think the CEO of an organisation responsible for a £200m budget and 3200 staff should actually receive. Also, how have you calculated that or is it just a guestimate?

I'm not condoning what Sutton has done and I hope he gets charged but £160k seems quite low for an organisation that size.

David Cameron gets £142000 a year and has more responsibility.

 

[drew]

I haven't guessitmated it. It was a copy & paste from the article.

Apologies then. The post had the first line italicized and I assume the second line was your observations on it.