Chief Inspector of Hospitals asks people to tell him about the safety of care provided by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust

23 June 2014

England's Chief Inspector of Hospitals is inviting members of the public to tell his inspection panel their recent experience on the safety of services provided by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.

This will help inspectors when they visit the trust next week.

CQC’s formal inspection of the trust, being carried out following a request from other health regulators and performance managers, will start on 30 June 2014.

The Chief Inspector, Professor Sir Mike Richards, said: "CQC has been approached by Monitor, the Trust Development Authority, the Trust Special Administrator and by both Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and the University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust to undertake a review of the safety of acute services at Stafford Hospital. CQC has agreed to this request.”

To ensure the views of patients and the local community are properly heard, the inspectors will be holding a listening event at the following venue on Monday, 30 June starting at 6.30pm:

• The Kingston Centre, Fairway, Stafford, ST16 3TW

People are being encouraged to attend the listening event to talk directly to the inspection team about their recent experiences of care and to say where they would like to see improvements made.

The listening event is not a meeting about the work the Trust Special Administrators have been carrying out; it is an opportunity to tell CQC about the current care at the trust.

Sir Mike, added: "As part of this inspection we will, of course, be talking to doctors and nurses, hospital managers and patients at the trust. But it is vital that we also hear the views of the people who have recently received care at the trust, or anyone who wants to share information with us. This will help us plan our inspection, and so help us focus on the things that really matter to people who depend on this service.

“This is your opportunity to tell the team what you think about the current care at the trust.”

Sir Mike's inspection team is expected to look in detail at key service areas across the trust including: A&E; medical care, maternity, surgery and radiology.

CQC wants to encourage those who are unable to attend the event to share their recent experiences too and they can do so via our website by visiting Share your experience finder or by calling 03000 616161.

A full report of the inspectors’ findings will be published by the Care Quality Commission later in the year.

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For media enquiries, contact regional communications manager, Louise Grifferty on 07717 422917. CQC’s press office can also be reached on 020 7448 9401 during office hours or out of hours on 07917 232 143.

For general enquiries, call 03000 616161.