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Press release: Management comment on the report on the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital and report on organ retention

31 Jan 2001

Commenting on the report on the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital published yesterday [30 Jan 2001], Chief Executive Stephen Thornton said, "the activities of Professor van Velzen at Alder Hey Hospital were deplorable and he must never be allowed to practice in this country again. There is much to be learned from this Report not least the need for hospitals to deal more effectively with major incidents involving parents and carers".

Commenting on the Chief Medical Officer's Report on Organ Retention, Thornton acknowledged that there had clearly been a catalogue of errors and poor practice across the country. "Essentially the NHS has failed to keep up with changing social attitudes and cultural norms. What might have been acceptable practice a decade ago is now seen as being insensitive and paternalistic. There is clearly a need to clarify the law and to introduce an agreed process for obtaining properly informed consent".

Commenting on the wider responsibilities of NHS management thrown up by the two reports Thornton added, "until this government introduced the concept of "clinical governance" as recently as 1999, clinical matters of this sort were not regarded as being within the province of NHS management. Instead they were deemed purely clinical matters and the responsibility of medical staff. However, since 1999, the boards and chief executives of NHS trusts have become responsible for ensuring that proper processes are in place to monitor and improve the quality of clinical services. This includes pathology services. As a result of the introduction of clinical governance, the management of NHS trusts (which includes medically qualified clinical and medical directors) is now in a much better position to pick up signs of poor or unacceptable practice".

However, Thornton warned that clinical governance was a relatively new concept. "For it to work properly it requires mature, trusting relationships between doctors and NHS management. It also requires senior medical staff to see themselves as an integral, key component of the management of NHS trusts. This in turn requires investment in management and leadership training and development. I am urging government to make this a high priority for the work of the new NHS Leadership Centre.

The Confederation also welcomes the review of the accountability and management arrangements between NHS trusts and Universities where senior staff are employed on joint contracts.

Ends

Notes for editors

1. The NHS Confederation is uniquely placed to be the voice of NHS management, as the only membership body for all NHS organisations. Our members include more than 95% of NHS trusts and health authorities in England and Wales; primary care groups; health boards in Scotland; and health and social services trusts and boards in Northern Ireland. The new English primary care trusts have joined.
   

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