A patient screams in pain during an operation and the surgeon carries on. She has her knickers forcibly removed and is given a suppository against her will full horror here
A BEREAVED son whose 86-year- old mother died after contracting two super bugs has accused Leighton Hospital of failing her and her family. Story
Health Service Ombudsman
The Health Ombudsman has taken up the case of the sexual assault on a patient who had her knickers removed during an operation by Tracy Smith even after she had expressly forbidden it and she was then given a suppository against her consent. The hospital have constantly refused to investigate the case and discipline the staff and interestingly when the GMC investigated no one would admit removing the patient knickers or giving the suppository or seeing anyone do it. If it was done as a genuine mistake one would expect people to own up and say SORRY.
The fact that it’s being covered up suggests it was either done to cause distress to the patient as she had complained about staff before or for sexual gratification of staff that enjoy forcibly stripping sedated women and buggering them.
Due to the work load it will be 7 months before the Ombudsman can start their investigation. In the mean time will Tracy Smith and the other nurse continue to sexually assault more patients? The Ombudsman has found in favour in this case once and passed it back to the HCC who said a doctor can force treatment on a patient if its in their interest even if they say no. This is of coarse a stupid statement against all British law and it seems the HCC were upset as the Ombudsman found they hadn’t done their job properly, they did fight it and it had to go to the highest level in the Ombudsman .
If you have been abused or sexually assaulted by Health Care workers the site above may be able to help. Fill in our form and make your views known Here
Join our campaign to stop sexual assault in Leighton Hospital. Many women and some men have complained about what they see as sexual assault by this they mean they have gone for an operation and had their underwear on and then woke up from the operation only to find their underwear has been removed without their consent and often they have been buggered by having a suppository given without consent.
For many this has been a traumatic experience with long term effects and nightmares and any Muslim women would be mortified if this happened. It comes down to a simple failure of Leighton Hospital to communicate with patients and being totally arrogant that they can do what the hell they like. People are not being told enough information for them to make and informed decision and thus give informed consent.
If you go in for an operation and they explain before you are put to sleep and you give consent and remove your own underwear then there is no problem. If you turn up in theatre a sleep and with your knickers on then it’s clear you haven’t given consent for them to be removed and being a sleep can’t give consent. Removing your own knickers is one thing but when a group of people do it for you its like a gang rape attack. Often people take this in even if a sleep.
We asked that they simple ensure that no one removes any ones knickers if they are a sleep unless it’s an emergency and that patients are checked before they have any pre med to ensure knickers are removed if needed or to confirm the patient’s wishes that they are not removed. The cost of this is zero but Leighton Hospital doesn’t want to know.
The Health Services Ombudsman has now ruled on a case and found it’s not acceptable to remove knickers and give suppositories without consent. We hope this ruling will force changes to Leighton Hospital and as some people want to press criminal charges of sexual assault against staff this may bring the message home.
Its down to lack of communication you may give consent to an operation but have know idea that this entails having you knickers removed, you may even give consent to a suppository and they be shocked when it happens as many people don’t know that this entails someone sticking their finger up you backside. You must ensure that patients understand what you mean saying a suppository is like saying an endoscopies people just don’t know what they hell your talking about
Nurse and Doctors don’t seem to have any comprehension of dominant role. If you are upset afraid and vulnerable in a state of undress and a person in a uniform towers above you this is a very dominate position and you may fell forced to comply because of this. If they came down to the patients level then this effect is reduced and again doesn’t take a genius to work out.
The purpose of this site is to report on facts about Leighton Hospital Crewe and report complaints. We accept complaints about Leighton Hospital and will expose any errors so patients can decided on the level of treatment from Leighton Hospital
From the Post Bag
The Fox Inn
Troston Road
Honington
Bury St Edmunds
Suffolk
IP31 1RD
S West went into hospital 2007.
I was interested to read your campaign against sexual abuse as the very same thing happened to me. I went into Leighton Hospital for a leg operation and went into surgery with my underwear on when I came out of surgery I had had my knickers removed without my consent and I felt sexually violated. The operation site didn't require my knickers to be removed so why did they do it. The thought of a group of people removing my knickers and seeing all my private parts when I was unconscious and unable to defend my self makes me sick. If this had happened anywhere else the people that did it would be up before the courts for sexual assault. The hospital doesn't seem to have any idea of patients feelings you are just a piece of meat the other worrying thing is if any of the people who do this are perverts in any way they are getting away with it with no check on them. Procedures must be put into place to protect patients so that no one can have their underwear removed without written consent unless its an emergency.
J
Jones (Went as a patient) said on
29 Jan 2008
Staffing levels seemed to be inadequate. On one night shift
there were only 2 nurses covering 3 wards which contained a
large proportion of people confined to their beds. On this and
many other occasions people were ignored when they pressed their
call buttons. I personally, and others in the ward, waited
regularly from between 5 and 20 minutes for a bed pan and even
when we got one we were often left perching on them for similar
time periods. This was very distressing for some patients, and I
found it very difficult as I was in a lot of pain from a broken
hip. I personally dread having to come back into hospital for
any length of time if I have to go through the same experience.
When I was in hospital for a week prior to my recent stay I
witnessed similar levels of care with many elderly patients not
receiving the care they deserved and often being ignored.
I also think some staff should consider patients feelings during
shift hand over. I was talked about as if I was stupid, some of
the facts were incorrect at hand over and some of the nurses
seem to think you are deaf and can't hear what they are saying!
I was upset by some of the tactless comments made at hand over.
Communication overall could be improved.
Anonymous 1 (Went as a patient)
said on 17 Dec 2007
What you liked:
The midwifery staff in general were friendly, however there was
a great variation of staff who appeared unprofessional and
uninterested to the wonderful but few, who were brilliant and
trying to pull the weight of all the staff who really couldn't
be bothered.
Morale appeared very low.
What could be improved:
My labour was difficult with the midwife delivering my baby
pronouncing that she wasn't very good at this! Praise God for a
senior midwife stepping in and taking over.
Staffing levels were very poor, my baby was supposed to have
hourly observations, however this was only done once!
I have a medical condition which means it is very hard for me to
get around, when i arrived on the ward the midwife was brilliant
and very helpful, however once the shift changed i didn't see
anyone till i hobbled down to the desk to ask for help!
The hospital was dirty with blood on the floors and in the
bathrooms and dry vomit on the frame of the bed!
The discharge process was very poorly organised and despite
having been seen and discharged by the doctors it took the
midwifery staff several hours to fill in the tick chart for our
discharge.
We do recognize that many of the staff are brilliant and doing a great job for low pay and deserve every praise we want the ones who cause distress to reach the high standards set by most staff. As a balanced view we do accept comments that are positive and we will display them when we receive them.
Fury at patients left
malnourished
Feb 6 2008
HUNDREDS of patients have been discharged malnourished from
Leighton Hospital, according to shock figures discovered by an
MP.
Tory Stephen O’Brien, whose Eddisbury constituency covers the
Crewe hospital, found from 2006-07, 842 patients left
malnourished from Leighton and the Victoria Infirmary, Northwich,
which are both run by the Mid-Cheshire Hospitals Trust.
The Shadow Health Minister says the Government’s own figures
show across Britain, 139,127 patients were discharged from
hospital malnourished – an 84% increase on 1997-98.
A total of 130,594 patients were admitted to hospitals in a
malnourished condition – an 85% rise from 1997-98.
Mr O’Brien said: “It is a scandal that in 21st Century Britain,
we allow vulnerable patients to be let out of hospital in a
malnourished state, and it is even worse that we allow thousands
of patients to get more poorly while they are in hospital.
“Malnourished patients are more prone to infections, have more
complications after surgery, and have higher mortality rates –
yet the Government allows over 130,000 patients to enter
hospital in that state.
“Nurses need to be given the time and equipment to get on with
the job of caring for our most vulnerable patients.”
A spokesman for the Mid-Cheshire Hospitals Trust said it had
introduced a number of initiatives during the past few years
which aim to ensure the nutritional and dietary needs of
patients are fully met during their stay at either Leighton
Hospital or Northwich Infirmary.
“All patients identified with malnutrition are referred to a
named ward dietitian and seen within 24 working hours, These
patients are given a care plan, and where required, assistance
at meal times.”
Emma Whittle, senior dietitian at the trust said: “Good
nutrition is an essential element in patient care and recovery,
so it is important patients are encouraged to eat and drink with
the assistance of nursing staff, a family member or a volunteer
mealtime assistant.
“In some instances, the help given may be as simple as
unwrapping a bread roll or cutting up food for the patient to
feed themselves. However, a considerable number of patients
benefit from having one-to-one encouragement and assistance with
their meal.
“When patients leave hospital, many may still be classed as
‘malnourished’’ but they will be receiving intensive treatment.
Malnutrition is not something that can be rapidly corrected.”
Mother Dies in Leighton Hospital from Superbugs
Nov 7 2007
A BEREAVED son whose 86-year- old mother died after contracting two
superbugs has accused Leighton Hospital of failing her and her
family.
James Carter, 61, of Congleton Road, Sandbach, has lodged an
official complaint against the Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust
following the death of his mother, Hettie McKenna, on August 26.
Mrs McKenna, lived alone at Highfield Drive in Nantwich and was
fiercely independent before she was admitted to the Crewe hospital
on May 25 after a minor fall.
The cause of death was recorded as clostridium difficile (C. diff) –
an infection which can lead to ulceration, bleeding from the colon,
peritonitis and death.
Mr Carter said: ‘She recovered quickly from her fall but was treated
for a urinary infection. When they suddenly moved her to another
ward I asked why and was told there had been an influx of male
patients. But this wasn’t true and I eventually found out she had
contracted MRSA.
‘She was then moved to the Discharged Ward and we were told she was
well enough to leave and that her bed was needed quickly. However, a
visiting care-home manager correctly said she was too ill to leave.
‘On subsequent visits, we became concerned about the bouts of
diarrhoea she was suffering and eventually asked if it was C-Diff.
Only then were we told it was. She died two weeks later.
‘I deserve answers because the trust has failed my mother and my
family. Why were we not told she had caught these bugs? Why was she
being prescribed antibiotics when we were told that they were what
was causing the C-Difficile?
‘Why was her nightwear – thickly covered in faeces – left for us to
wash when we had not been told what precautions to take whilst
laundering them?’
In total there were 2,157 reports of C. diff across the North West
among patients aged 65 and over between April and June this year, a
decrease of 19% compared to the previous quarter.
Five Leighton Hospital patients died after catching the infection
between April 2006 and April this year.
A spokeswoman for Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust said: ‘The trust
would like to express its sincere condolences to the patient’s
family.
‘The trust is taking the concerns of the family seriously and is
undertaking a review of the advice and care the patient and her
family received, in line with the NHS complaints procedure.
‘Once that process has concluded, the trust will share the findings
of the investigation with the family.’
Leighton Hospital TOLD TO IMPROVE
09:56 - 09 October 2007
The organisations running the ambulance
service and Leighton Hospital have been told to improve how they
handle complaints. An audit carried out by the Healthcare
Commission has revealed that North West Ambulance Service (NWAS)
NHS Trust and Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust are not meeting
the basic standard to ensure patients, their relatives and
carers are not discriminated against when complaints are made.
The audit also revealed that NWAS Trust's complaint system
needed to be more accessible in terms of registering formal
complaints and feedback on the quality of services.
The healthcare watchdog launched the audit after becoming
concerned about how patients' complaints are handled locally.
The trusts were two of 32 chosen for inspection because of
concerns that they were not meeting Government standards.
The basic standard requires trusts to make complaint procedures
accessible, ensure complainants are not discriminated against
and act on concerns and make changes where appropriate.
The Healthcare Commission said that trusts should do more to
make it easier for people to raise a complaint.
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Leighton Hospital,
received 288 complaints in 2006/7 - a drop on the previous
year's figures of 300 - and has received 147 complaints this
year to date.
Officials reacted to the Healthcare Commission's findings by
forming Matron Forums for staff to discuss complaint handling.
A spokesman said: "A thorough audit of complaints has taken
place and systems have been implemented to ensure staff are
trained in dealing with complaints."A NWAS spokesman said:
"North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust treats complaints very
seriously and welcomes the findings of the audit to ensure best
practice is achieved across all areas.
"Following the audit on complaints handling within the former
Mersey Regional Ambulance Service NHS Trust, areas for
improvement were noted by NWAS and included in the trust's
action plan.
"NWAS immediately reviewed and amended its new complaints policy
and stated its intention to provide information on staff
attitudes, staff support and emphasised the issue of not
discriminating against complainants of the services it provides.
"The Healthcare Commission acknowledged the swift action the
trust has taken in response to the findings.
"The trust remains committed to ensuring all its staff are fully
aware of the trust's complaints policy and procedures."
Have you lodged a complaint with one of the trusts?
A&E Leighton Hospital
I attended Leighton Hospitals A&E with a patient who had a suspected broken leg /knee. After a 2 hour weight we saw the doctor who asked the patient to jump up on the bed. The patient was crying as it was with pain sitting in a wheel chair. When I pointed out the fact the patient was small and couldn’t jump up on the bed if she was fit the doctor said I am not bending down to look at the knee. The patient was then crying with extreme pain forced to try and climb up on the bed. If the leg was broken it could have pushed the bone through the skin.
After xray it was decided that it was badly strained and swollen. The doctor offer the crying patient pain relief and asked are you allergic to anything who replied yes Paracetamol and it will be on my notes.
The patient was then given tablet containing Paracetamol which if she had taken could have been fatal even a child would not have given these tablets knowing she was allergic.
Webmaster Note Is the Doctor that gave the Paracetamol totally incompetent or was this a deliberate act as this patient has a complaint against the hospital. If this was the case then its a very serious case but its hard to see why when she was told of the allergy and its on the notes she still gave what could be a fatal medicine.
The Healthcare Commission report on discrimination against people who have complained says
The organisation could not demonstrate that
systems had been in place to make sure that patients, relatives
and carers did not suffer in their care or treatment as a result
of making a complaint.
What does this mean to you?
If you are concerned about the possibility of being
discriminated against as a result if making a complaint, check
what written assurance the organisation has given in the
information about complaints which they make available to
patients. All trusts have action plans in place where they said
they did not meet or could not be sure whether they met this
standard.
This means this patient may have been
discriminated against because she had complained
Trust fined £14,000 for Leighton hospital patient’s fall
MID Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust has been fined £14,000 after a man with mental health problems was seriously injured in a fall from a window at Leighton Hospital in Crewe. The patient, a 30-year-old who has not been named, was injured in the incident when he managed to climb out of a first-floor window at the hospital on August 4, 2005.
The Trust, which manages Leighton hospital, was fined £12,000 for breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act, £2,000 for breaching health and safety management regulations, and was ordered to pay £3,982 costs at a hearing at Crewe Magistrates Court.
A Health and Safety Executive spokesman said the hospital had failed to learn from similar incidents in the past or take on board guidelines issued by the NHS, and urged bosses at Leighton hospital to take action to ensure the same cannot happen again.
Pensioner’s operation delay plight Full Story
AN ELDERLY woman was kept waiting for a sight-saving operation in a hospital waiting room for four hours – then sent home because her medical files had gone missing.
Seventy-four-year-old Ivy Long was due to have cataracts removed from both eyes on Thursday, but must now spend another two weeks with blurred vision.
Ivy, of Queensway, Winsford, had had nothing but a glass of water from 7am when she arrived at Leighton Hospital at 11.45am. Her husband, Jim, had an angina attack at the hospital due to the stress the mix-up caused.
‘In today’s age of computers you would think they’d be a bit more organised,’ said Jim. ‘It’s not good enough.
You can get the full review for all the hospitals on the above link overall Leighton Hospital comes out as week
Healthcare organisation
Quality of services
Use of resources
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Leighton
Hospital *
Leighton
Hospital *
Weak
Weak
Some of the questions and the answers from the Health Commission Survey of patients. To get a full picture you must read all the surveys at the link above. We have picked on these answers as they show that by the HCC survey that a lot of people are not giving informed consent to treatment and the answers for side effects is very low all round. If informed consent isn't given then consent is invalid.
| Question | Leighton | Best NHS |
| Did staff explain why any tests were needed? | 79 | 89 |
| Did staff tell you how you would find out the results of tests? | 75 | 89 |
| Did staff explain the results of tests? | 68 | 82 |
| Did staff explain what would happen before any treatment? | 88 | 95 |
| Did staff explain the risks/benefits before any treatment? | 82 | 91 |
| Did staff tell you about medication side effects? | 53 | 75 |
This site is run to fight for justice and freedom and protect the weak. The information on this site is collected from a variety of sources Government Depts , Press, Newsgroups, BBC, Medical forums and anonymous members of the public. The site is hosted outside of the UK in various locations across the world. As such its contents can’t be affected by any UK court or court order and any attempt to have the site removed by UK courts will fail. The owners of the site will not reveal any of the contributor’s names to any UK court and indeed may not even know them anyway see our main page.
The only way to shut this site down is for Leighton Hospital to stop making mistakes that ruin people’s lives. Once this has been achieved the site will no longer be needed. It provides a voice for these people so that they can be heard without threats of legal action from the hospital.
We have been under attack by lawyers working for Leighton Hospital who have attempted to take this site and other sites down this has been done by issuing threats contacting ISPs and threatening victims whose stories are mentioned on these sites. Their attempts have failed and if the site should be ever shut down then 50 new ones will appear all over the world within hours and I have told them this. If Leighton Hospital spent more money on patients and less on fancy lawyers this site wouldn't be needed.
We find it frightening that Leighton hospital should go to such lengths to hide the truth it makes us believe that there is more going on than was first thought and that they are trying to cover some great mistake. Due to this attack we have stepped up our efforts to discover what they are hiding. We are seeking information and if you have any knowledge of the following please get in touch.
The death of an old lady in November 11th 2005 in ward 11
The hospital giving out medical records without the patients consent and these records being sent abroad without consent.
Anyone who has been give a suppository or had underwear removed without consent.
|
Leighton Hospital have in this case totally failed in there duty of care in this case. The failed to obtain informed consent as the GMC have identified that the doctor taking the consent couldn't give enough information for informed consent so technically the whole operation was assault. The failed to assess her anaesthetic needs which resulted in her nearly dyeing and being in extreme pain. The gave 10 mg of Midazolam in one dose as shown on her records which is potentially fatal. They gave 900mg of local instead of 400mg and didn't give adrenaline which was nearly fatal. She was sexually abused by having her knickers removed when she had expressly forbidden it. She was sexually abused by them giving a suppository when she had said no. They failed to take care of her pain relief. What is worse when they complained they failed to find anything wrong and cover up what had happened. After the GMC HCC and Ombudsman have found all the problems its hard to see why Leighton Hospital didn't find anything wrong but put further patients at risk from the surgeon another potental Barbara Salisbury. They are refusing to name the nurses who sexually assaulted this patient we know that Tracy Smith, Professor Aluwihare and Dr Anmed were in attendance at the operation but the others haven't been named. Witness are helping to fight this case and the people who did this will be brought to justice. One down 2 to go. The GMC have issued details of the the charges against the surgeon and the hearing is on 14th Jan Once his case has been heard its hoped the nurses will face similar hearings for sexual assault on the patient Tracy Smith, Professor Aluwihare and Dr Anmed all deny that they took the knickers off and dont know who did it General Medical Council
Press Office
My partner went into Leighton Hospital Crewe for a very
simple hernia operation to be done under local anaesthetic
and sedation she was supposed to go in at 12 and be home for
2 oclock the operation was supposed to last 30mins.
Its often used as a Date Rape drug and a male nurse got 7 years for using it
Midazolam
can lead to the patient experiencing daydreams with a
sexual content.
Extract from the GMC Report
The surgeon Professor Aluwihare if you have any complaints about this man let us
know as the GMC would like to know The Case Examiners have noted the conclusions of the HCC report into this matter. It is obvious that the HCC expert interpreted many of the facts of the case in a way different to that of the experts commissioned by the GMC. However, this may be explained by the remit of the HCC being different from that of the GMC. Both experts are united in the conclusion that Professor Aluwihare should have seen the patient himself earlier, and should have postponed the surgery if no anaesthetist was available. Professor Aluwihare either did not discuss the procedure with the patient when he met her, or if he did, failed to record what was discussed. Neither scenario is good medical practice. Professor Aluwihare says he had a detailed discussion but that he omitted to make a record. He had delegated consent taking to Dr Ahmed, but did not ensure that the patient was fully advised of possible risks and complications. The expert's view is that a junior doctor would be unlikely to be able to give detailed advice about what an experienced surgeon would deem to be a difficult operation. Professor Aluwihare admits that the sedation and supplemental pain killer was given under his guidance by the House Officer. He disputes how much was given, believing that the midazolam was not given as a 10 mg bolus, but in increments, as recommended. The case notes would suggest this is not the case as it is clearly recorded that 10 mg midazolam was given at 15:26. It is in dispute whether 10 mg bolus was an incorrect choice in the case of a patient as large as the patent. However, as Dr Ahmed was acting under direct instruction from Professor Aluwihare, it would appear that the Professor had delegated the performance of the sedation to someone who did not have the appropriate competence and experience. Professor Aluwihare maintains that midazolam was given incrementally. The midazolam, therefore, was either given as a 10mg bolus, (which Professor Aluwihare accepts would have been inappropriate), or he failed to ensure that an accurate record was kept to show that the drug was given in increments. The expert opinions both believe that express consent is required for the use of suppositories, and that Professor Aluwihare did not obtain this. The case is now referred to a Fitness to practice panel
The Ombudsman has completed their investigation and found the HCC failed to identify that the removal of a women's knickers after she had said they couldn't be removed and giving a suppository without consent must be reinvestigated as soon as possible. We believe that this will reveal that the patient suffered assault and battery which is a criminal offence. Battery is defined A battery is the wilful or intentional touching of a person against that person’s will by another person, or by an object or substance put in motion by that other person. Please note that an offensive touching can constitute a battery even if it does not cause injury, and could not reasonably be expected to cause injury. A defendant who emphatically pokes the plaintiff in the chest with his index finger to emphasize a point may be culpable for battery (although the damages award that results may well be nominal). A defendant who spits on a plaintiff, even though there is little chance that the spitting will cause any injury other than to the plaintiff's dignity, has committed a battery. Assault and battery has a 6 month custodial sentence and a £5000 fine at Magistrates Court. We hope that Leighton Hospital will now reveal the names of the people who committed these crimes as up to now they have been protecting these criminals by failing to supply their names. The ruling is significant as Leighton Hospital give suppositories all the time without consent so now people can sue them for this and the doctors can be struck off. Many patients have complained to us that they had there underwear removed while they were sedated totally without their consent. The hospital just don't understand the effects this has on people and they are committing criminal acts by doing it
Special note here the patient express her personnel feeling of what happened during an operation she was sedated for some of the experience with a drug known to give sexual daydreams.
Midazolam is know to enhance sexual
feeling and lots of cases of people having these
feeling that's why it popular as a date rape drug. My knickers were removed for none
medical reasons they claim so they wouldn’t get stained. Any
women would prefer to loose a 50p pair of knickers instead
of being forcible striped by complete strangers. I don’t
know if it was done so people could look at my private parts
in order to get sexual pleasure or what. As it’s a criminal
offence of Assault and Battery which can have a 6 months
custodial sentence I wouldn’t think anyone would do it
without they got pleasure out of it. To ask a women while
awake to remove her own knickers is one thing but to
forcibly strip someone is a totally different thing As I was coming around
from the operation I was awake when a nurse lifted my legs
and buggered me.
I noticed my time in hospital that most don’t ask consent or explain what they intend to do they think they are gods better than the rest of us and can abuse patients and get away with it. I believe that most of the violent attacks on staff are because they don’t explain what they are doing and don’t seek consent. It take a second to say I want to take some blood is that ok. I do accept that the
whole incident was done for all the right reasons and
nothing untoward happened but this doesn't make any
difference to what I felt and what I still feel a lot of the
feeling I believe are enhanced by the drug Midazolam that
they used and it show they have considered the side effects
of this drug.
Midazolam can lead to the patient experiencing daydreams
with a sexual content. |
These are the GMC Rules for good medical practices for surgeons and every hospital should use these as their standards. If they don't you can complain to the GMC Here These rules apply to minor operation done on a day patient as well.
Consent
Intimate Examinations
December 2001
The GMC regularly receives complaints from patients who feel that doctors have behaved inappropriately during an intimate examination. Intimate examinations, that is examinations of the breasts, genitalia or rectum, can be stressful and embarrassing for patients. When conducting intimate examinations you should:
- Explain to the patient why an examination is necessary and give the patient an opportunity to ask questions.
- Explain what the examination will involve, in a way the patient can understand, so that the patient has a clear idea of what to expect, including any potential pain or discomfort (paragraph 13 of our booklet Seeking patients’ consent gives further guidance on presenting information to patients).
- Obtain the patient’s permission before the examination and be prepared to discontinue the examination if the patient asks you to. You should record that permission has been obtained.
- Keep discussion relevant and avoid unnecessary personal comments.
- Offer a chaperon or invite the patient (in advance if possible) to have a relative or friend present. If the patient does not want a chaperon, you should record that the offer was made and declined. If a chaperon is present, you should record that fact and make a note of the chaperon’s identity. If for justifiable practical reasons you cannot offer a chaperon, you should explain that to the patient and, if possible, offer to delay the examination to a later date. You should record the discussion and its outcome.
- Give the patient privacy to undress and dress and use drapes to maintain the patient’s dignity. Do not assist the patient in removing clothing unless you have clarified with them that your assistance is required.
Anaesthetised patients
You must obtain consent prior to anaesthetisation, usually in writing, for the intimate examination of anaesthetised patients. If you are supervising students you should ensure that valid consent has been obtained before they carry out any intimate examination under anaesthesia.
You may find some hospitals don't get the proper consent and if for instance they were to give you pain relief by way of a suppository while you are under sedation if they do they must get your permission in writing before you are sedated or the doctor may be struck off for assault. A lot of Hospitals use Midazolam (versed) for sedation during minor operation like a hernia and by the rules they must tell you the risks.
One of the risks is it can make you forget which you may think is a good thing but some people don't want to forget. You may be given a pain relief Voltkol which is given as a suppository if they haven't told you about this and obtained your permission in writing as per the above GMC rules then you can complain to the GMC or look for compensation for sexual assault. The problem is because of the Midazolam you may not know they did this you would have to apply for your medical records to see. You don't need this pain relief you can have tablets and according to the rules they must explain this to you and give you the chance to opt out.
The hospital was condemned by the Health Care Commission in January 2006 See the full report here
Health watchdog finds that failings at the Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust led to unacceptable levels of care for older patients Published: January 24th 2006 Serious lapses in the care of older people at Leighton Hospital have been identified in an investigation report published today (Tuesday) by the independent healthcare regulator the Healthcare Commission. The investigation followed the conviction in 2004 of Ward Sister Barbara Salisbury on two counts of attempted murder.
The conviction related to incidents that occurred at Leighton Hospital in 2002 and involved the inappropriate administration of diamorphine, a powerful opiate analgesic, to patients. The aim of the investigation was to look at whether there were failings in systems to protect patients in the trust in 2002, and to assess whether these failings were still a problem. The investigation found that the trust failed to meet adequate standards of care.
This, together with poor leadership and management, staff shortages and a lack of learning from complaints, resulted in the safety of patients being compromised. Patients were often not assisted to take their medication or helped with eating and drinking. The Commission found that the general lack of attention by staff sometimes prevented patients from getting to the bathroom or using the bedpan in time, adversely affecting their dignity, morale and health.
Healthcare assistants reported having no time to shave patients or answer buzzers, and there were numerous examples of drug rounds being late and tablets being left on tables out of reach of patients. Following the conviction of Barbara Salisbury, many nurses and some families reported serious misgivings that patients were not receiving adequate pain relief. Marcia Fry, Head of Operational Development at the Healthcare Commission, said: “There is no excuse that allows for the care and dignity of patients to be compromised in this way. “This report has highlighted serious problems, some of which go right up to the most senior level at the trust.
We are pleased that the trust has already taken some urgent action to improve the service for patients. It must continue on this path and make every effort to implement all of the recommendations in this report. It must do everything in its power to build a service that staff, patients and their families can rely upon. “As performance manager and commissioner of services of the trust, the local strategic health authority and primary care trust must share responsibility and work with the trust to improve the situation. “The Healthcare Commission will keep a close watch on the trust over the coming months to make sure that the necessary improvements are made.” In order to address the concerns identified in the investigation the Healthcare Commission has made the following urgent recommendations:
* Recruit additional frontline nursing staff to provide an acceptable and safe standard of care
* Improve governance and management of the medical directorate
* Investigate and address the cause of poor clinical outcomes in the medical directorate, including apparently higher than average mortality rates in recent years
* Review management and accountability arrangements in the trust In addition, the trust must also:
* give greater priority to the care of older patients in line with the national service framework for older people
* provide care that puts the needs of patients first and treats them with dignity and respect
* review its arrangement for providing patients with appropriate pain relief
* take action to address poor care when it is identified through complaints and/or reporting
* develop action plans in response to serious complaints and ensure that they are implemented and monitored Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust have developed a detailed action plan to address the recommendations in the report.
A number of these actions have already been put in place including a high level review of the trust’s management arrangements. The trust is reviewing its risk assurance framework; they are also reviewing arrangements for governance and management particularly in the medical directorate. In addition to this, the trust, which is under the leadership of a new acting chief executive, has recruited 44 new nursing staff, and introduced a new approach to handling and learning from complaints. An audit of the care of older people has been launched. Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority and the Healthcare Commission regional team will closely monitor progress made against the action plan.
Full report of the investigation and how it was conducted
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Nurse gets five years for seeking to kill two patients but was she innocent?
Nurse gets five years for seeking to kill two patients
Ward sister weeps at verdicts after trial that heard of her ruthless
desire to free beds by causing elderly to die
Helen Carter
Saturday June 19, 2004
The Guardian
A senior ward sister was convicted yesterday of attempting to murder
two elderly patients under her care because she was motivated by a
ruthless desire to free up beds at a hospital which was in the
throes of a bedblocking crisis.
Barbara Salisbury crossed the line between humane nursing and
callous dispatch of patients at Leighton hospital in Crewe by
administering diamorphine or lying them on their back so they would
drown in their own secretions. She was jailed for five years after
being found guilty at Chester crown court of the attempted murders
of May Taylor, 88, and Frank Owen, 92, in March 2002.
Article continues
Salisbury, 47, from Pontybodkin, north Wales, wept as the guilty
verdicts were read out. Sentencing her, Mr Justice Pitchford said:
"Your duty and your trust was one of care towards your patients, and
under the direction of the doctors, the respect for and preservation
of human life. The jury has found that in the case of two elderly
patients who were nearing their end, you broke that duty and abused
your trust by attempting to hasten death."
He added: "It is impossible for me to fathom what it was to cause
you to act as you did. You chose to exercise control over life and
death of patients whose time had not quite come."
Salisbury had faced four attempted murder charges. But she was
cleared of any unlawful involvement in the deaths of James Byrne,
76, and Reuben Thompson, 81.
Two years ago, the Cheshire hospital which serves a community with a
large number of elderly people, was in the middle of a bedblocking
crisis, which has since eased. The court heard that when she arrived
back on the ward after six days off sick, she saw Mr Owen, who had
been a patient for three months, and asked: "What's he still doing
here?"
The prosecution said she had been constantly pressing for him to be
discharged to a nursing home, despite Mr Owen needing a drip. She
told her colleagues to lie him on his back "so his lungs will fill
with fluid and he will die".
Despite colleagues telling her that Mr Owen was not in pain, she
gave him two injections of diamorphine. The former mechanic died
five minutes after she finished her shift. One witness described her
actions as "callous and unprofessional". Later, she was asked if his
death was peaceful. She replied: "Yes, thanks to me."
Salisbury had lied to doctors to ensure Mrs Taylor, a widow, was
given excessive doses of diamorphine. When challenged, Salisbury had
replied: "Why prolong the inevitable?"
She had been accused of telling James Byrne, who had suffered a
minor stroke: "Give in, it's time to go," as she gave him
diamorphine.
When she appeared in the witness box, Salisbury repeatedly denied
hastening patients' deaths, but admitted using the phrase "It's OK
to go now" to those close to death, in an effort to be soothing.
The prosecution claimed Salisbury had arrogated to herself the right
to decide when patients should die and attempted by her actions to
shorten what remained of their lives. But she said: "I have probably
said, 'It's OK for you to go now.' It's a term I often used to use
in intensive care, meaning it's OK, you can leave this life," she
told the jury. "I said it in a gentle way to let them know there was
somebody there." She could not remember any of the four patients.
Unpopular
Salisbury was said to have been unpopular among her colleagues on
the ward because of her brusque manner. Many of the nurses were
traumatised by what they witnessed, while others were bullied into
obeying her orders. Following the death of Mrs Taylor, nurses
Katherine Darby and Alexandra McNally were so appalled by her
treatment at the hands of Salisbury that they complained to their
managers.
There were other incidents involving elderly people. Nurse Annie
Denson said that on Christmas Day 2001, Lila Hillyer, 86, was
nearing death. She had left her on her side aided by an oxygen mask
so she might survive until relatives could see her. Then Salisbury
came into the side room and said: "Lose the oxygen and lie her
flat." The nurse ignored the instruction and the patient survived
two more days.
Salisbury's barrister, Peter Birkett, said in mitigation that she
had no criminal record and suffered from depression, for which she
was treated in hospital from August 2002 to July 2003.
Salisbury, a mother of two, had been a nurse for most of her working
life. Born in Liverpool, she began training in 1975 while in the
RAF. She went on to qualify as a state enrolled nurse and a
registered general nurse and worked at hospitals in Peterborough and
King's Lynn, principally in intensive care. In 1993, she moved to
Leighton hospital. She had risen to the rank of Grade E staff nurse
and three years later she was promoted to a Grade F ward sister.
She worked on Ward 5, a general medical ward with a number of
geriatrics, until 2000, when she transferred to Ward 4. The
following year, the trust's chief executive, Simon Yates, presented
her with a Learning to Be a Leader award.
"She had a pretty good reputation with the management," said a
source at the hospital. "They looked upon her as being efficient.
But the people who worked with her had no time for her at all. They
certainly didn't like her attitude and she upset and offended an
awful lot of people."
For more than a year, a team of detectives from Cheshire police were
based at the hospital as part of a lengthy investigation led by
Detective Chief Inspector Adrian Wright. Salisbury was eventually
charged with the attempted murders in June 2003. The inquiry team
examined 20 deaths of elderly patients at the hospital over a
five-year period. A hotline set up for concerned relatives received
more than 100 calls in its first few weeks.
In a statement, the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health
Authority paid tribute to the whistleblowers. "We are grateful to
the hospital staff who first raised their concerns with the trust
for bringing the matter to the attention of the police," it said.
"We have agreed with the trust that the SHA will commission an
independent investigation to look into the issues surrounding this
case."
A statement from Salisbury's husband Derek said: "My wife is a
devoted nurse, who has dedicated herself to the care of the sick.
Always she has put the interests of patients first. We do not accept
this jury's verdict. We know her to be innocent of any crime. This
is a tragic day for her, for us her family, and for the nursing
profession."
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