Hospital apology for TV documentary shortcomings

Channel 4's Dispatches showed patients being treated in corridors and other shortcomings in care at Shrewsbury

A hospital has apologised for the shortcomings uncovered by an undercover documentary filmed in its accident and emergency department.

Channel 4's Dispatches programme showed footage which the broadcaster said "exposes the suffering and dangers patients face on a daily basis" at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

The programme witnessed patients waiting in A&E for up to 46 hours and undignified treatment of patients in corridors.

In a statement, the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) said it wished to apologise to those affected in the programme.

It also apologised to other patients who had been "affected by long waiting times, overcrowding and a lack of privacy when accessing emergency care".

The trust said: "Even when we are faced with significant pressures, we must uphold the highest standards of care, and we recognise that some of the conditions displayed in the programme did not meet these standards."

Since the programme was screened, patients have given further examples of their own poor care, waiting for hours in corridors not knowing how or when they would be treated.

The trust said: "We are very sorry that our patients have experienced anything less than the quality care we strive for, and we are determined, working with partners, to improve the care and experience for everyone.

"We are continuing to do everything possible to support the privacy, dignity and wellbeing of our patients, and have adapted the way we deliver care in our urgent and emergency care services by investing in additional staffing, screens, cleaning and catering. We recognise there is still further to go on our improvement journey."

Shrewsbury's candidates discussed the Dispatches programme and the NHS in a debate on Tuesday

Reacting to the programme in a BBC Radio Shropshire debate, election candidates in the Shrewsbury constituency expressed their concerns.

"We need to prioritise emergency care, that's what the Dispatches documentary last night showed. It is in an absolute state," said Alex Wagner, candidate for the Liberal Democrats.

Labour candidate Julia Buckley said: "We must all be really sensitive to those patients that we saw suffering. We heard stories of people who passed away. The problem is staffing, recruitment, retention, numbers of staff," she said.

Candidate for the Conservatives, Daniel Kawczynski, said services at both hospitals were deteriorating.

"I consider this [NHS] the single most important issue affecting this constituency at this general election," he said.

Julian Dean, candidate for the Green party said: "The response from SaTH sounded frankly like a bank saying 'currently we're receiving a higher number of calls.' It’s not acceptable."

"I didn't see the Dispatches programme, but I have experienced when you go into both hospitals in the recent past. It's much more to do with senior management and trustees not doing their job properly as a start," said Reform candidate, Vic Applegate.