Friday, 12 April 2013

Fining ourselves.


          QUICK HIDE

p

         IT’S THE FEDS

 

Here’s an edited version of a report from the BBC, 11/4/13. The Health and Safety Executive investigate workplace accidents and prosecute employers who have failed to safeguard people they owe a duty of care to.

It looks like the police investigated the death of this lady but took no action – they couldn’t prove that any one nurse was to blame for this death caused by outrageous neglect, so now the HSE are looking to see if they could prosecute the management for a failure to protect people in general.

The problem is, if they can, it only means a fine and only a fine against the organisation not the individuals.

So in this case the Court would fine Mid Staffs Hospital and that means we the taxpayer have to pay the Court (that’s us too). It’s a multi-million pound waste of time when what needs to happen is that people are fired for their failings.

As I keep saying, you can’t use the criminal law to make people care. You have to make sure that you only employ people who care. In return you have to care for the people who work for you. Criminalising care just frightens people, which is the way normal businesses are run. This is not a business. It’s a caring profession. At Mid–Staffs, people stopped caring.

Comments in italics are mine throughout;

A criminal investigation into the death of a diabetic woman at Stafford Hospital in 2007 has been launched, the Health and Safety Executive has said.

Gillian Astbury, 66, from Hednesford, died after going into a diabetic coma at the scandal-hit hospital.

An inquest in 2010 found the failure to administer insulin amounted to a gross failure to provide basic care.

The HSE said the decision to launch an investigation was deferred until after a public inquiry. A report by the chair Robert Francis QC into a higher than expected number of deaths at the hospital from 2005 to 2009 was published in February.

Mrs Astbury was admitted to the hospital in April 2007 after a minor fall and was being treated for fractures to her arm and pelvis.

Therefore her death was completely unnecessary.

The inquest in 2010 at Stafford Coroners Court heard Mrs Astbury's blood sugar levels were not properly monitored and insulin was not administered on the day before her death, despite being prescribed by doctors.

The jury returned a narrative verdict and said a failure by nursing staff to record glucose levels, communicate effectively and read clinical notes contributed to her death.

‘Contributed’ only means she died because of her diabetes, it wouldn’t have happened if they had looked after her.

The HSE confirmed its inspectors had formally started an investigation.

A spokesman said: "Our focus will be on establishing whether there is evidence of the employer (the Trust) or individuals failing to comply with their responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act."

This is the priceless comment from the Chief executive;

"The recommendations from that (internal) investigation were implemented. Actions included raising staff awareness about the care of diabetic patients and improving the information and system for nurse handovers.

These were Nurses, who didn’t know (care) how to look after diabetics?

A police investigation was launched after her death, but the Crown Prosecution Service ruled there was insufficient evidence to bring charges.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)
Contact:         neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

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