NHS Hospital chief said agency nurses 'kill more than they cure'

[Guest guest]

NHS chief faces call to quit over gaffe

http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1172055,00.html

Grieving relative told agency nurses 'kill more than they cure'

Carvel, social affairs editor

Thursday March 18, 2004

The Guardian

The chairman of one of England's best-performing hospitals was

considering his position last night after being secretly recorded

saying its agency nurses " kill more people than they bloody cure " .

Barrie Blower, chairman of Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust, apologised

profusely and his chief executive launched an inquiry into the

safety record of agency nurses, hoping to be able to disprove the

allegation.

Unison, the public service union, called for Mr Blower's

resignation.

The trust won the maximum three stars in the government's most

recent performance appraisal and is trying to win public support for

a bid to become a foundation hospital outside government control. A

spokeswoman said about 2.6% of its 3,000 staff are provided by a

dozen agencies, which include the government organisation NHS

Professionals.

Mr Blower's derogatory comment about agency nurses was revealed by

Davies, the daughter of a woman who died of lung cancer at the

Manor hospital in December.

After being denied the opportunity to discuss her mother's case with

the nurses who cared for her, she was given an appointment with Mr

Blower that lasted three hours. She secretly recorded it on a

dictaphone and handed the tape to Carlton TV.

Mr Blower, a former chairman of Walsall FC, said: " It's an awful set-

up. We advertise in the Philippines and in India to attract nurses

to be attached to the hospital, to try and get rid of these agency

people.

" They kill more people than they bloody save, these do. It's an

awful bloody set-up but we've got to have them. "

Pete Lowe, regional officer for Unison, said the chairman's remarks

were a disgrace and an insult to an already demoralised staff. Many

of the agency nurses were members of the hospital's own staff doing

additional hours.

" If Mr Blower has made this statement then I see no other option

than for him to resign. Further, if the board decides to back him,

then I see that as an inference that they support his views, " Mr

Lowe said.

In a letter to staff, Mr Blower regretted his " off-the-cuff and

completely inappropriate " remark. He said: " I was trying to put the

family at ease by empathising with them about how difficult it can

be to deal with a number of different agency staff.

" The way I chose to express this was completely inappropriate and

inaccurate and I withdraw it unreservedly. I have written to all

staff explaining how sorry I am that this unfortunate incident has

occurred. "

Mr Blower said later: " I would ask my board to give me support - if

they can't give me that, then that's it. I made the comment merely

to emphasise a position. If it is felt that those comments are so

outrageous that the confidence in the hospital is being put at risk

then obviously I would have to take a look at it. "

Sue , the chief executive, ordered an investigation into the

number of incidents relating to agency nurses compared with those

involving permanent members of staff. She said: " I don't expect to

find anything untoward in this investigation but I want to have the

evidence to demonstrate that our patients can have every confidence

in the care we offer, regardless what type of nurse actually

provides it. "

The January meeting between Mrs Davies and Mr Blower, followed the

death of Shirley Sargent, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer,

on December 11.

Mrs Davies, of Erdington, Birmingham, said: " My mother was

terminally ill and there has never been any question about the

nursing staff being negligent, but we felt we needed more

information about the time she died. "

" All our questions could have been answered in 10 minutes by the

nursing staff, but the mid-management seemed unhappy to help us. "

The trust has 785 beds at two hospitals, serving about 250,000

people in an area of social deprivation with high rates of coronary

heart disease, obesity and smoking

[Guest guest]

NHS chief faces call to quit over gaffe

http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1172055,00.html

Grieving relative told agency nurses 'kill more than they cure'

Carvel, social affairs editor

Thursday March 18, 2004

The Guardian

The chairman of one of England's best-performing hospitals was

considering his position last night after being secretly recorded

saying its agency nurses " kill more people than they bloody cure " .

Barrie Blower, chairman of Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust, apologised

profusely and his chief executive launched an inquiry into the

safety record of agency nurses, hoping to be able to disprove the

allegation.

Unison, the public service union, called for Mr Blower's

resignation.

The trust won the maximum three stars in the government's most

recent performance appraisal and is trying to win public support for

a bid to become a foundation hospital outside government control. A

spokeswoman said about 2.6% of its 3,000 staff are provided by a

dozen agencies, which include the government organisation NHS

Professionals.

Mr Blower's derogatory comment about agency nurses was revealed by

Davies, the daughter of a woman who died of lung cancer at the

Manor hospital in December.

After being denied the opportunity to discuss her mother's case with

the nurses who cared for her, she was given an appointment with Mr

Blower that lasted three hours. She secretly recorded it on a

dictaphone and handed the tape to Carlton TV.

Mr Blower, a former chairman of Walsall FC, said: " It's an awful set-

up. We advertise in the Philippines and in India to attract nurses

to be attached to the hospital, to try and get rid of these agency

people.

" They kill more people than they bloody save, these do. It's an

awful bloody set-up but we've got to have them. "

Pete Lowe, regional officer for Unison, said the chairman's remarks

were a disgrace and an insult to an already demoralised staff. Many

of the agency nurses were members of the hospital's own staff doing

additional hours.

" If Mr Blower has made this statement then I see no other option

than for him to resign. Further, if the board decides to back him,

then I see that as an inference that they support his views, " Mr

Lowe said.

In a letter to staff, Mr Blower regretted his " off-the-cuff and

completely inappropriate " remark. He said: " I was trying to put the

family at ease by empathising with them about how difficult it can

be to deal with a number of different agency staff.

" The way I chose to express this was completely inappropriate and

inaccurate and I withdraw it unreservedly. I have written to all

staff explaining how sorry I am that this unfortunate incident has

occurred. "

Mr Blower said later: " I would ask my board to give me support - if

they can't give me that, then that's it. I made the comment merely

to emphasise a position. If it is felt that those comments are so

outrageous that the confidence in the hospital is being put at risk

then obviously I would have to take a look at it. "

Sue , the chief executive, ordered an investigation into the

number of incidents relating to agency nurses compared with those

involving permanent members of staff. She said: " I don't expect to

find anything untoward in this investigation but I want to have the

evidence to demonstrate that our patients can have every confidence

in the care we offer, regardless what type of nurse actually

provides it. "

The January meeting between Mrs Davies and Mr Blower, followed the

death of Shirley Sargent, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer,

on December 11.

Mrs Davies, of Erdington, Birmingham, said: " My mother was

terminally ill and there has never been any question about the

nursing staff being negligent, but we felt we needed more

information about the time she died. "

" All our questions could have been answered in 10 minutes by the

nursing staff, but the mid-management seemed unhappy to help us. "

The trust has 785 beds at two hospitals, serving about 250,000

people in an area of social deprivation with high rates of coronary

heart disease, obesity and smoking

[Guest guest]

NHS chief faces call to quit over gaffe

http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1172055,00.html

Grieving relative told agency nurses 'kill more than they cure'

Carvel, social affairs editor

Thursday March 18, 2004

The Guardian

The chairman of one of England's best-performing hospitals was

considering his position last night after being secretly recorded

saying its agency nurses " kill more people than they bloody cure " .

Barrie Blower, chairman of Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust, apologised

profusely and his chief executive launched an inquiry into the

safety record of agency nurses, hoping to be able to disprove the

allegation.

Unison, the public service union, called for Mr Blower's

resignation.

The trust won the maximum three stars in the government's most

recent performance appraisal and is trying to win public support for

a bid to become a foundation hospital outside government control. A

spokeswoman said about 2.6% of its 3,000 staff are provided by a

dozen agencies, which include the government organisation NHS

Professionals.

Mr Blower's derogatory comment about agency nurses was revealed by

Davies, the daughter of a woman who died of lung cancer at the

Manor hospital in December.

After being denied the opportunity to discuss her mother's case with

the nurses who cared for her, she was given an appointment with Mr

Blower that lasted three hours. She secretly recorded it on a

dictaphone and handed the tape to Carlton TV.

Mr Blower, a former chairman of Walsall FC, said: " It's an awful set-

up. We advertise in the Philippines and in India to attract nurses

to be attached to the hospital, to try and get rid of these agency

people.

" They kill more people than they bloody save, these do. It's an

awful bloody set-up but we've got to have them. "

Pete Lowe, regional officer for Unison, said the chairman's remarks

were a disgrace and an insult to an already demoralised staff. Many

of the agency nurses were members of the hospital's own staff doing

additional hours.

" If Mr Blower has made this statement then I see no other option

than for him to resign. Further, if the board decides to back him,

then I see that as an inference that they support his views, " Mr

Lowe said.

In a letter to staff, Mr Blower regretted his " off-the-cuff and

completely inappropriate " remark. He said: " I was trying to put the

family at ease by empathising with them about how difficult it can

be to deal with a number of different agency staff.

" The way I chose to express this was completely inappropriate and

inaccurate and I withdraw it unreservedly. I have written to all

staff explaining how sorry I am that this unfortunate incident has

occurred. "

Mr Blower said later: " I would ask my board to give me support - if

they can't give me that, then that's it. I made the comment merely

to emphasise a position. If it is felt that those comments are so

outrageous that the confidence in the hospital is being put at risk

then obviously I would have to take a look at it. "

Sue , the chief executive, ordered an investigation into the

number of incidents relating to agency nurses compared with those

involving permanent members of staff. She said: " I don't expect to

find anything untoward in this investigation but I want to have the

evidence to demonstrate that our patients can have every confidence

in the care we offer, regardless what type of nurse actually

provides it. "

The January meeting between Mrs Davies and Mr Blower, followed the

death of Shirley Sargent, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer,

on December 11.

Mrs Davies, of Erdington, Birmingham, said: " My mother was

terminally ill and there has never been any question about the

nursing staff being negligent, but we felt we needed more

information about the time she died. "

" All our questions could have been answered in 10 minutes by the

nursing staff, but the mid-management seemed unhappy to help us. "

The trust has 785 beds at two hospitals, serving about 250,000

people in an area of social deprivation with high rates of coronary

heart disease, obesity and smoking

[Guest guest]

NHS chief faces call to quit over gaffe

http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1172055,00.html

Grieving relative told agency nurses 'kill more than they cure'

Carvel, social affairs editor

Thursday March 18, 2004

The Guardian

The chairman of one of England's best-performing hospitals was

considering his position last night after being secretly recorded

saying its agency nurses " kill more people than they bloody cure " .

Barrie Blower, chairman of Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust, apologised

profusely and his chief executive launched an inquiry into the

safety record of agency nurses, hoping to be able to disprove the

allegation.

Unison, the public service union, called for Mr Blower's

resignation.

The trust won the maximum three stars in the government's most

recent performance appraisal and is trying to win public support for

a bid to become a foundation hospital outside government control. A

spokeswoman said about 2.6% of its 3,000 staff are provided by a

dozen agencies, which include the government organisation NHS

Professionals.

Mr Blower's derogatory comment about agency nurses was revealed by

Davies, the daughter of a woman who died of lung cancer at the

Manor hospital in December.

After being denied the opportunity to discuss her mother's case with

the nurses who cared for her, she was given an appointment with Mr

Blower that lasted three hours. She secretly recorded it on a

dictaphone and handed the tape to Carlton TV.

Mr Blower, a former chairman of Walsall FC, said: " It's an awful set-

up. We advertise in the Philippines and in India to attract nurses

to be attached to the hospital, to try and get rid of these agency

people.

" They kill more people than they bloody save, these do. It's an

awful bloody set-up but we've got to have them. "

Pete Lowe, regional officer for Unison, said the chairman's remarks

were a disgrace and an insult to an already demoralised staff. Many

of the agency nurses were members of the hospital's own staff doing

additional hours.

" If Mr Blower has made this statement then I see no other option

than for him to resign. Further, if the board decides to back him,

then I see that as an inference that they support his views, " Mr

Lowe said.

In a letter to staff, Mr Blower regretted his " off-the-cuff and

completely inappropriate " remark. He said: " I was trying to put the

family at ease by empathising with them about how difficult it can

be to deal with a number of different agency staff.

" The way I chose to express this was completely inappropriate and

inaccurate and I withdraw it unreservedly. I have written to all

staff explaining how sorry I am that this unfortunate incident has

occurred. "

Mr Blower said later: " I would ask my board to give me support - if

they can't give me that, then that's it. I made the comment merely

to emphasise a position. If it is felt that those comments are so

outrageous that the confidence in the hospital is being put at risk

then obviously I would have to take a look at it. "

Sue , the chief executive, ordered an investigation into the

number of incidents relating to agency nurses compared with those

involving permanent members of staff. She said: " I don't expect to

find anything untoward in this investigation but I want to have the

evidence to demonstrate that our patients can have every confidence

in the care we offer, regardless what type of nurse actually

provides it. "

The January meeting between Mrs Davies and Mr Blower, followed the

death of Shirley Sargent, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer,

on December 11.

Mrs Davies, of Erdington, Birmingham, said: " My mother was

terminally ill and there has never been any question about the

nursing staff being negligent, but we felt we needed more

information about the time she died. "

" All our questions could have been answered in 10 minutes by the

nursing staff, but the mid-management seemed unhappy to help us. "

The trust has 785 beds at two hospitals, serving about 250,000

people in an area of social deprivation with high rates of coronary

heart disease, obesity and smoking