Richard Holden MP was angered to learn of the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust's (NEAS's) management failures, and cover-ups with taxpayers’ cash used to buy silence.
Richard offers the following statement:
"We have some excellent and dedicated staff at NEAS but it’s clear that there have been major cultural failures in the institution over many years.
"We need institutions, like our NHS, to be open so that when mistakes are made lessons are learnt. We cannot have a situation where Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) are used and people paid to stay silent in vain attempts at “reputation management” to cover up failure. Unbelievably that’s also included lying to relatives and even to the Coroner’s Court.
"I am glad that the Department of Health and Social Care - DHSC are now going to conduct a rapid inquiry to get this bottomed out and ensure that my North West Durham constituents - and people across the North East - get the service they deserve.
"I want to pass on any personal cases of my constituents to the DHSC inquiry as soon as possible so if you’ve been badly let down by The North East Ambulance service or work for them and want to pass information in complete confidence, please message me via www.richardholden.org.uk/contact."
Read about the issues here: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/.../the-999-cover-up-that...