Annex A > Chapter 1 - The Background to and Conduct of the Public Inquiry > The Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference

1 On 18 June 1998 the Secretary of State for Health announced to Parliament the setting up of this Public Inquiry under Section 84 of the National Health Service Act 1977 (the 1977 Act) into events at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. The Terms of Reference of the Inquiry were:

`To inquire into the management of the care of children receiving complex cardiac surgical services at the Bristol Royal Infirmary between 1984 and 1995 and relevant related issues; to make findings as to the adequacy of the services provided; to establish what action was taken both within and outside the hospital to deal with concerns raised about the surgery and to identify any failure to take appropriate action promptly; to reach conclusions from these events and to make recommendations which could help to secure high quality care across the NHS.'

2 The Inquiry, therefore, was not required to consider only the actions of certain doctors, or to focus only on cardiac services provided under the supra regional service (SRS) for children under 1 year of age: it was required to look at the complete cardiac surgical service provided for children at Bristol during the period 1984-1995, and any relevant related issues.

3 Before, during and since the period of the Inquiry's Terms of Reference, Bristol has been served by a group of hospitals. Prior to 1 April 1991 this group comprised the United Bristol Hospitals (UBH), [1] and following the adoption of trust status, the United Bristol Healthcare (NHS) Trust (UBHT). [2] The term UBH/T is used hereafter to refer to the hospitals comprising the UBH and the UBHT, both before and after trust status.

4 The paediatric cardiac surgical service was provided at two hospitals in central Bristol: the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) and the Bristol Royal Hospital for Sick Children (BRHSC) [3] and thus the Inquiry was concerned with events at both sites.

5 An examination of the paediatric cardiac surgical service demanded a focus beyond events in the operating theatre itself. Any parent would consider that the (Bristol) `service' began with the referral of their child to the BRI or to the BRHSC, and did not conclude until discharge from in-patient care (and the conclusion of any necessary follow-up).

<< previous | next >> | back to top

Footnotes

[1] The Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Bristol Eye Hospital, Bristol Maternity Hospital, Bristol General Hospital, University of Bristol Dental Hospital. Between 1960 and 1974 they were joined by: Bristol Homeopathic Hospital and Farleigh Hospital

[2] The Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Bristol Eye Hospital, Bristol General Hospital, University of Bristol Dental Hospital, Barrow Hospital, Keynsham Hospital, St Michael's Hospital, Bristol Oncology Centre

[3] The BRHSC was formerly known as the Bristol Royal Children's Hospital (the BRCH). It was also referred to in evidence as the Bristol Children's Hospital (the BCH)