New laws allowing health workers involved in medical blunders in England to give evidence in secret mean future scandals may be missed, the NHS ombudsman has warned, as he says the “shocking” baby deaths in Shrewsbury are not a one-off.
The government’s health and care bill, passed on Wednesday, means NHS staff can give evidence about clinical mistakes privately in a “safe space”. But Rob Behrens, the parliamentary and health service ombudsman, said the change means he and his staff will not be able to get to the bottom of medical failings because his office will be denied access to that vital information.
