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Coventry Evening
Telegraph
HOSPITAL
bosses are investigating claims that two patients died at
Walsgrave as a result of putting five people in four-bedded
bays.
The probe comes after a consultant cardiologist, Dr Raj
Mattu, went on record saying the practice, identified as
dangerous by the recent damning Commission for Health
Improvement report, had contributed to two deaths.
At the time of the remarks chief executive David Loughton
said he was not aware of any fatalities.
Gary Reay, chairman of University Hospitals Coventry and
Warwickshire NHS Trust, which runs Walsgrave, told a
board meeting yesterday: "When I heard those remarks
I immediately rang David Loughton and Dr Jim McCartney,
the trust's medical director, to find out the facts.
"The quick investigation that was done by the
medical director on whether a clinical incident form had
been raised and whether the chief executive knew about it
revealed the answer was no.
"I have asked David and Jim to continue with the
investigation to find out all the facts of the case."
Dr Mattu's assertions came on the back of the CHI inquiry
which said having five people in bays designed for four
meant the extra patient had worse access to gases and
equipment, an increased risk of infection and poorer
assessment and treatment because staff had trouble
reaching them.
The practice was stopped as a matter of routine at the
end of August.
