Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK has welcomed this week’s update from the Department of Health on moves to enhance patient safety systems at Noble’s Hospital.
The Department confirmed on Wednesday that it was progressing proposals arising from a review started in November last year by the hospital’s Patient Safety Forum, a body involving all frontline clinicians.
Last week the Department published the action plan on colorectal surgery being followed by Noble’s after an independent external review was carried out in late 2012 at the request of the hospital’s senior management.
The Chief Minister commented: ‘I hope that the measures that are being put in place at Noble’s, and the Department’s efforts to publicise them, will help to reassure those members of the public who may have been unsettled by the political controversy that has been stirred up around the hospital.
‘Concerns have been expressed about aspects of Noble’s, but they need to be kept in context and perspective so that the public is not presented with a distorted picture. What is important is to address the issues, not to play political games with them, which is why I am continuing a series of meetings at the hospital to support the Department in resolving matters.
‘I have been impressed by the professionalism and dedication of the frontline staff who do so much good work, many of whom have been dismayed by the political negativity about Noble’s. I am aware that the Minister for Health has invited Members of Tynwald to join patient safety walks at the hospital, and I would urge all Members to take this opportunity to enhance their understanding of what goes on there.’
The Chief Minister added: ‘In addition to the moves that the Department is already making I have initiated two further steps with a view to easing the current pressures on the hospital. One is an examination of the impact of Government’s overall headcount restriction on staffing at Noble’s, which I know is a concern. The other thing that I have asked for is an external review of management requirements at the hospital, separate to the independent review of health services that has already been announced.’
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