A Bad Day for Our NHS

I will start this post by saying that I am proud of our National Health Service. I suppose it could be argued that I am biased in my view as I 'work' for the NHS providing support for mental health services here in Lincolnshire. Whilst there is much good done each day, the report published today into Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust highlights an unacceptable failing in basic care, respect and duty. The report will bring no comfort whatsoever to the families of those who's lives were lost as a result of these failings, but good must come from it. The Prime minster has announced the creation of an Inspector of Hospitals. Frankly this shouldn't be needed if hospital management did their jobs properly, checking the work of their staff and consulting patients on the quality of the care and treatment they have received.
It is a bad day for the NHS. People oversees will read about massive failings within one Trust, but their perception of the entire NHS will be influenced by this. This is of course wrong. Our NHS, although one organisation, is split into regional units which themselves are broken down by county. Each one of these, for the most part, operates independently and management policy can vary from Trust to Trust. I know myself that Lincolnshire operates differently to other county Trusts. There is huge emphasis on ensuring the views of patients are gained and this process is run by an independent body. There is also a programme of hospital inspections across the county, something I have volunteered to become involved with.
The wrongs which were allowed to take place in Staffordshire cannot be allowed to happen anywhere else and those in charge at the time should be held responsible. What would be equally wrong is to assume the entire NHS is riddled with bad practise and poor care.