Stafford Hospital Inquiry: 'No cover up of mistakes'

Ms Hill-Tout said the best tribute to those who died was making changes as result of their deaths

The incoming leader of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust said there would be no cover up of past mistakes when she took over.

A public inquiry is looking at the role of regulatory bodies after a higher-than-expected number of deaths at Stafford Hospital from 2005 to 2008.

Lyn Hill-Tout will succeed trust chief executive Anthony Sumara in June whose two-year contract is due to expire.

She said the best tribute to those who died was ensuring changes were made.

"The thing for me, is behind all the questioning and all these really important people poring over their paperwork, that there's patients and relatives behind all of this," she added.

Balancing act

"The thing that strikes me out of all of this really, is how this is going to influence, not just care and what we do at Mid Staffordshire hospital, but how this is going to affect the NHS. This is really important," she said.

Ms Hill-Tout said she wanted to spend regular time at the inquiry to hear what had been going on, so that she could use the knowledge to take the trust forward.

She said her time would be split between spending time at the inquiry learning lessons, ensuring progress was made at the hospital and being available for relatives if they wished to speak to her.

She said: "We haven't got to try and be defensive or cover up the mistakes that have been made.

"The best tribute we can give to the families and to patients is to have made changes as a result of what has happened."

The inquiry is continuing.