Statement from Shepton Mallet NHS Treatment Centre regarding Colonoscopy Review

­We welcome the publication of the Joint Services Investigation Report into colonoscopy services at Shepton Mallet NHS Treatment Centre.

We would like to take this opportunity to once again apologise to all those patients whose colonoscopies had to be independently reviewed. We are sorry for any concern and distress that has been caused.

The investigation into the review of colonoscopies at Shepton Mallet NHS Treatment Centre found that “there was no direct evidence identified from the DVDs of any missed diagnosis of cancer at the time of the colonoscopy”.

In addition,  the Shepton Mallet NHS Treatment Centre referred the doctor involved to the General Medical Council.

We are pleased that these issues have been thoroughly examined and that patients are now able to see the outcome and conclusions of this investigation.

Shepton Mallet NHS Treatment Centre strives to deliver the highest standards of patient care. But we believe that even the best centres should have to undergo continuous scrutiny to ensure those standards are being met. In that spirit, we therefore welcome today’s JSI Report and the recommendations it contains.

Supporting patients and keeping them and their GPs informed throughout the review process has been a priority for us. We are therefore pleased that the Report found that the approach taken by the Treatment Centre in managing the review to be have been “very open and transparent” and “designed to minimise the anxiety and concern for patients and relatives.”

The Report makes a number of recommendations for addressing specific issues that have been identified as a result of this investigation. Most of these recommendations have already been implemented by the Treatment Centre – the others will be implemented as a priority. These include:

1. Recruitment, assessment and appraisal of surgeons

In addition to existing robust recruitment procedures, we have bolstered the involvement of external experts (ie surgeons from other NHS hospitals and other eminent surgeons) in the recruitment and assessment of surgeons at the Treatment Centre.

Surgeons performing colonoscopies already have their work audited using notes of procedures. However, we have added another auditing procedure based on regular review of a sample of DVDs of colonoscopy procedures - something that it is not possible to do at the vast majority of hospitals, where colonoscopies are not recorded onto DVD.

2. Clinical Care Pathway

­We have improved and increased the information available to GPs to help them decide whether to refer patients for a colonoscopy at the Treatment Centre, or a less invasive procedure.

We are also improving the information and guidance given to GPs by surgeons at the Centre on what further treatment or care their patients may require following their colonoscopy procedure.

Apart from implementing the Report’s recommendations, Shepton Mallet NHS Treatment Centre is also in the process of becoming one of the first independent sector treatment centres in the UK to apply for accreditation by JAG – the Joint Advisory Group of GI Endoscopy, the body that accredits UK hospitals for the National Bowel Screening Programme.

This accreditation by JAG will mean that colonoscopies carried out at the Centre will achieve the same standard as the National Bowel Screening Programme, which is considered to be the ‘gold standard’ for bowel cancer screening in the UK.

We are also pleased to announce that we are setting up a Clinical Advisory Board to further strengthen the quality of services offered at the Treatment Centre.

This new Advisory Board will advise on the way in which the Centre is run, to ensure that patients’ using the hospital continue to enjoy the highest standards of service.

Since the Treatment Centre opened in 2005, we have worked hard to provide patients with first class treatment and care and – as the JSI Report notes – we have consistently demonstrated patient satisfaction rates of 99% across all services. In addition, the clinical outcomes of procedures carried out at the Treatment Centre (published on our website annually) demonstrate our commitment – and success - in providing high quality patient care.

We are committed to maintaining these standards and continuously striving to get even better.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors

About UKSH

UK Specialist Hospitals (UKSH) is a UK-based independent sector healthcare company providing services to both NHS and private patients.

UKSH was founded in 2004 following the Department of Health’s decision to create a network of Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs). The aim of UK Specialist Hospitals (UKSH) is to provide the highest quality of clinical care.

About the Clinical Advisory Board

The new Clinical Advisory Board will advise the Treatment Centre on clinical governance issues - and comprises medical experts from a wide range of backgrounds.

- Mr Dominic Browse, MB, B.Ch, MD, FRCS

- Mr Francis Murray, MB, B.Ch, BAO, FFARCSI

- Dr David Helfet, MB, Ch.B

- Mr Stephen Cannon, MA, MChOrth, FRCS

- Professor Peter Hutton, FRCA, FRCP, F.Med.Sci

- Dr Naji Abumrad – MD, FACS

- Dr Michael David Holzman, MD, MPH

For more information, please contact:

Alex Woolfall, Bell Pottinger

Mobile: + 44 (0) 7990 774 700

The full JSI report and Somerset PCT's press statement are available by following this link to Somerset PCT's website

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