Lightning will strike again Clinical governance is a relatively new addition to acquisition due diligence. Ed Marsden, managing director of Verita, explains why understanding the reality of professional hierarchies and practice is an essential part of healthcare investment. Ian Paterson, a consultant surgeon from Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, was known to his female …
Technology is everywhere reshaping our lives. Former Health Secretary Stephen Dorrell, however, believes that healthcare is lagging behind this trend. Writing in the foreword to a new report on the benefits of Technology-Enabled Care Services published by PPP (Public Policy Projects, a think-tank), Dorrell says that the reasons healthcare trails other sectors are “complex and …
Technology in healthcare – how to reap the benefits Read More »
Every week, the media covers another story of patient harm, bullied staff or sexually abused students. No sector is exempt, with recent examples including NHS organisations, universities and a large law firm. Each story will resonate and shock in its own way. But too often we overlook that what is driving the coverage and comment …
A shift to a new culture – the importance of independent investigations Read More »
What skills are required for an investigation? How should an investigation be approached? Skills and mindset can have a huge impact on an investigation, which has been highlighted in the Carl Beech case. Carl Beech was convicted of fraud and 12 counts of perverting the course of justice on 22nd July 2019. This followed him …
Lessons on investigation skills from the Carl Beech case Read More »
Serious incident investigations – time for a change? Healthcare involving serious incident investigations is a complex world, where time is a luxury frontline staff simply don’t have. That’s something we can all agree on. And with budgets being pinched, the value gleaned from each pound spent is being scrutinised to the nth degree. So, of …
Ushering in a new era of serious incident investigation in the healthcare sector Read More »
Safeguarding in sport However hard one tries to simplify the issues, safeguarding in sport is a complex area. There are simple issues. All participants, especially minors, need to be safeguarded. Health and safety regulations must be respected and applied. The issues become more blurred (necessitating legal intervention) in the context of professional sport, where doctors …
Is it money well spent? With multiple government inquiries underway and millions of pounds spent since the 90s, it is only natural to wonder whether public inquiries are an effective use of time and money. The need for diagnostic tools for organizational change is prevalent now more so than ever. The primary focus of any …
Push doctor vs Babylon As the growth of technology continues to drive increased accessibility and an ‘on demand’ culture, questions for the NHS services and its ability to progress with advancing technologies are looming. Online GP consultations like those now provided by Babylon app or Push Doctor are for the most of us, a natural progression. …
Health service executive The Health Service Executive of Ireland (HSE) have apologised after a man died almost immediately after being transferred from hospital to a care facility without the required oxygen supply. Verita’s report finds ‘catastrophic failure of healthcare’. Read the article here: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/hse-apologises-after-death-of-man-transferred-from-hospital-without-oxygen-1.3400232
Safeguarding and governance Sports bodies can tackle safeguarding and governance failings by making openness their goal. Common failings with governance and safeguarding challenges, and steps to overcome them, were at the heart of our submission to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee on October 18th which was focusing on recent high-profile issues at the …
Governance challenges Governance challenges for digital health – Digital has impacted massively on industries globally; bridging information gaps, improving services, and disrupting existing practises. Consumer expectations have accelerated rapidly, wanting more, newer, personalised – and faster. While the benefits of digital growth and rapid technological advancement have been wide and substantial – with much more …
Insights on engaging with families after incidents In a number of our recent independent investigations, we have been struck by the detrimental impact that an internal investigation by a trust has had on families. This is often compounded by the trust failing to communicate with families in a timely, open and honest way. By …
The detrimental impact of an internal investigation Read More »
