Ombudsman Rob Behrens comments on the NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board review into University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
“This report will make hard reading for the new leadership and sets the scale of the challenge they face. It backs up our concerns about University Hospitals Birmingham in terms of culture and patient and staff welfare. While we have seen some improvements when working with the Trust, as the report makes clear we are still dealing with a legacy of defensiveness and reluctance to accept criticism that needs to be addressed.
“We have a shared aim of ensuring that patient safety incidents are not repeated, but for that to happen the Trust must start to accept accountability and learn from its mistakes, instead of shying away from criticism. The Trust must start to implement these recommendations and make significant improvements in its culture and leadership. This is essential so people living in the West Midlands can access the best possible care with confidence."