News Releases
July 1999
Contents
Previous Releases:
|
||
|
|
||
|
News ReleasesJuly 1999Contents Previous Releases:
|
|
|
PHASE TWO ISSUES PUBLISHED FOR CONSULTATION
The Bristol Royal Infirmary Public Inquiry team has issued for consultation the main themes for its second phase which is scheduled to start early in the year 2000. Phase Two of the Inquiry will look at relevant wider issues and the Inquiry Panel intend to take a national perspective, informed by their learning from Phase One, the examination of children’s heart surgical services at the Bristol Royal Infirmary and Children’s Hospital which is currently underway. During the second phase, the Inquiry panel focus will be on examining current and potential future policy initiatives which could help to improve the quality of care in the NHS. There will be written papers commissioned from a wide range of organisations and individuals. The papers will be published and they will be supplemented by a series of eight to ten public seminars between January and April 2000. Seven themes have currently been identified for Phase Two. They are:
The BRI Inquiry team has issued today a consultation paper seeking comments on the suggested themes; possible seminar topics within the themes; and the organisations or individuals who might be invited to contribute papers on specific issues. The objectives of Phase Two are to assist the Inquiry Panel to meet the requirement in their Terms of Reference to "make recommendations which could help to secure high quality care across the NHS"; and to ensure that recommendations are relevant to the NHS of the future, practical, achievable and within a realistic level of resources. The approach will be wide-ranging and, where it can assist the Inquiry, papers and contributions will be invited from outside the healthcare sector and from individuals and organisations outside the UK. Comments are invited by September 3 and should be made in writing or by e-mail to Una O’Brien, Secretary, Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry, 2-10 Temple Way, Bristol, BS2 0BY. The e-mail address is inquiry@doh.gov.uk. ENDS Notes for editors: the oral hearings for Phase One are held on the fifth floor of offices at 2-10 Temple Way in Bristol until December 1999. Photographic or recording equipment – either audio or visual – is not permitted in the Inquiry chamber or precincts on the fifth floor. For further information please contact Becky Jarvis, Media Relations
Manager, INQUIRY HEARS FROM RETIRED MEDICAL DIRECTOR Mr James Wisheart, retired Medical Director and Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI), United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust (UBHT), will give evidence to the Inquiry this week. At this stage of the Inquiry he will be asked questions about management issues. He will be recalled in the autumn to discuss his clinical role and the adequacy of paediatric cardiac surgery at the BRI. The second half of the week will focus on the issue of tissue retention, with evidence from the Home Office, Royal College of Pathologists, Coroners Society and UBHT Hearing timetable: Monday 19 July (10.30 a.m.) Mr James Wisheart – retired Medical Director, UBHT Tuesday 20 July (9.30 a.m.) Mr James Wisheart – retired Medical Director, UBHT Wednesday 21 July (9.30 a.m.) Prof. Michael Green – Royal College of Pathologists Mr Robert Clifford – Home Office Coroner’s Unit Thursday 22 July (9.30 a.m.) Mr Michael Burgess – Honorary Secretary, Coroners’ Society of England and Wales Mrs Diane Kennington – Patient Affairs Officer, UBHT The oral hearings will be adjourned for six weeks following Mrs Kennington’s evidence and are scheduled to restart on 6 September 1999. During the hearing break the Inquiry offices in Bristol and London will remain fully operational with Inquiry staff concentrating on the tasks of the gathering of statements, analysis of written information and preparation for the autumn programme. Notes for editors: the oral hearings are held on the fifth floor of offices at 2-10 Temple Way in Bristol. Photographic or recording equipment – either audio or visual – is not permitted in the Inquiry chamber or precincts on the fifth floor. For further information please contact Becky Jarvis, Media Relations Manager, tel. 0117 938 8716. July 15, 1999 HOSPITAL MANAGERS GIVE EVIDENCE TO THE INQUIRY Managers from United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust (UBHT) will give evidence on Monday, 12 July, from 10.30 a.m. Mr Hugh Ross, Chief Executive, UBHT, will be making his second appearance at the BRI Inquiry oral hearings. He will be followed by Mr Ian Barrington, General Manager, Directorate of Children’s Services, UBHT. Both witnesses will address the issue of tissue retention. The focus for the remainder of the week’s evidence will be analysis of the relevant data sources. On Tuesday, 13 July, at 9.30 a.m. we will hear from the Inquiry’s independent expert witness Dr David Spiegelhalter, Senior Scientist, Institute of Public Health. He will be followed by Mr Richard Willmer, Chief Statistician, Department of Health; Dr Paul Aylin of Imperial College, London; and Mr Bruce Keogh, Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons. On Wednesday, 14 July from 9.30 we will hear from Mr Andrew Hooper, Health Records Manager, BRI and UBHT Patient Administration System (PAS) Manager, Ms Ann Harding, Acting Director, NHS Information Authority; and again from Dr David Spiegelhalter. There will be no hearings on Thursday 15 July. ENDS Notes for editors: the oral hearings are held on the fifth floor of offices
at 2-10 Temple Way in Bristol. Photographic or recording equipment –
either audio or visual – is not permitted in the Inquiry chamber
or precincts on the fifth floor. For further information please contact
Becky Jarvis, Media Relations Manager, tel. 0117 938 8716. INQUIRY IDENTIFIES KEY DATA SOURCES The Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry has identified six major data sources which appear to be relevant to its work. The Inquiry has today published a consultation paper which is a preliminary overview of the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of these sources. Printed copies of the paper are being distributed and it is also available on the Inquiry’s internet website. Extensive work has already been undertaken by the Inquiry’s analysis team. A major review, including commissioning of analysis and research, is underway. Two of the sources identified by the Inquiry, Hospital Episode Statistics and the UK Cardiac Surgical Register, should enable comparisons to be made between Bristol and other centres. The Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) include over 50 million data records collected during the period under examination by the Public Inquiry team. Two new databases have been created by the Inquiry using existing material from clinical records and surgeons’ logs. The other two major sources are the South West Congenital Heart Register and the United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust’s Patient Administration System (PAS). Apart from these six major sources, there are nearly 20 other additional sources which are of potential relevance to the Inquiry although the priority is to take forward analysis of the six main sources. The consultation paper has been published in advance of Inquiry oral hearing sessions on statistics and data sources which will take place on Tuesday, July 13, and Wednesday, July 14. The target audience for the consultation paper includes parents, families, present and former staff from the United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust, health service professionals and their representative bodies, members of the scientific community and the wider public. The Inquiry is particularly interested in views on any gaps or shortcomings in the identified data sources; the priority that should be attached to analysing specific data sources; and the implications of any shortcomings in data quality for reaching conclusions about the nature and outcomes of children’s heart surgery in Bristol. Link to Summary ENDS Notes for editors: comments on the consultation paper should be sent
to Una O’Brien, Secretary to the Inquiry, Bristol Royal Infirmary
Inquiry, 2-10 Temple Way, Bristol, BS2 OBY.
Following the postponement of the oral hearings previously scheduled for Monday and Tuesday this week (July 5-6), we are now in a position to announce the revised schedule for the remainder of this week. On Wednesday 7 July from 10.30 am we shall hear from Dr Marie Thorne, Head of the School of Organisational Behaviour, Bristol Business School, University of the West of England. On Thursday 8 July from 9.30 am Dr Ian Baker, Consultant in Public Health Medicine with Avon Health Authority and District Medical Officer of Bristol and Weston Health Authority 1984-1991, will give oral evidence to the Inquiry. Mr James Wisheart, former Consultant, Clinical Director and Medical Director at United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust, who had been scheduled to give evidence on Monday and Tuesday this week, will now attend the Inquiry on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 July. ENDS Notes for Editors: The oral hearings are held on the fifth floor of offices at 2-10 Temple Way in Bristol. No photographic or recording equipment is allowed in the Inquiry Chamber or precincts on the fifth floor. Opportunities to photograph and interview witnesses will be made available when possible. The Inquiry will normally sit from Monday to Thursday during this first phase. Mondays will run from 10.30 am – 4.30 pm. The other days will run from 9.30 am to 2.15 pm. For further information contact: Becky Jarvis, Media Relations Manager (tel: 0117 938 8716). Web site: http://www.bristol-inquiry.org.uk/ July 6, 1999 Due to bereavement and subsequent family commitments for a member of the Inquiry Panel, it has been necessary to postpone the oral hearings for Monday and Tuesday next week (5th – 6th July 1999). A further information note will be issued early next week to confirm the arrangements for the rest of the week. ENDS Notes for Editors: The oral hearings are held on the fifth floor of offices at 2-10 Temple Way in Bristol. No photographic or recording equipment is allowed in the Inquiry Chamber or precincts on the fifth floor. Opportunities to photograph and interview witnesses will be made available when possible. The Inquiry will normally sit from Monday to Thursday during this first phase. Mondays will run from 10.30 am – 4.30 pm. The other days will run from 9.30 am to 2.15 pm. For further information contact: Becky Jarvis, Media Relations Manager (tel: 0117 938 8716). Web site: http://www.bristol-inquiry.org.uk/ July 2, 1999 |