I have been reading in the news today that the National Patient Safety Agency has raised concerns over the standard of care afforded to patients in administering oxygen. The organisation says it has been highlighted to 300 complaints from patients and their families, including 44 deaths, where defective equipment has apparently lead to patients receiving substandard care. In addition, complaints have been raised against NHS staff for poor monitoring of oxygen levels, resulting in either too much or too little oxygen being administered, the consequences of which can be grave.

Frequently, certain sections of the press and indeed the National Health Service Litigation Authority, criticise Claimant solicitors for bringing cases against NHS Trusts in the first place, but these such incidents and others recently reported (see my previous blog entries), do nothing to dissuade those who have been injured unnecessarily from considering legal action. Indeed, what other recourse do they have?

As I have always said, the majority of the services and care provided through the NHS is of enviable quality, but ultimately, these occurrences need to be eradicated, whether that be through better training or the provision of suitable equipment.

The Care Quality Commission has published an interim report into the quality of out-of hours GP care run by some Primary Care Trusts. It has highlighted one example of deficient care provided to a patient who was given ten times the usual dosage of a painkiller resulting in his death.

Out of hours care is vital, when patients are taken ill and need to speak to, or be seen by, a GP. However, this should not mean that the patient should expect any less standard of care just because they need to see their GP out of normal working hours, for example at the weekend. The out of hours service alleviates pressure on Accident and Emergency departments, who patients may turn to if they are unable to see their GP, or such services as NHS Direct (which really exists for a signposting service and general guidance). Therefore it is all the more important that patients should be given the same level of care and be confident in the advice given, as they are with their GP.

The report has highlighted the lack of scrutiny by some PCTs in monitoring the standards provided by some private companies, and it is therefore of paramount importance that more stringent auditing is implemented.