‘Under-reporting distresses patients, families & carers’

The party’s health spokesperson was commenting after the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority issued an improvement notice to the Trust regarding the systems within its mental health services.

Colr. Duffy said: “It is deeply concerning that the regulator has found the Western Health and Social Care Trust to be failing to meet the minimum standards for ensuring the safe and appropriate management of risk within mental health and learning disability services.

“The under reporting of incidents and not escalating incidents as appropriate will cause some distress to patients, their families and carers.”

She said the safety and well-being of patients was of paramount importance.

“It is vital that systems are in place to support a culture of learning that ensures patients receive the highest possible standards of care.

“Unfortunately, it appears this has not been the case within the Western Trust Mental health and Learning Disability services with regards to learning from previous adverse incidents.

“Sinn Féin has previously raised concerns around the effectiveness of the current system to promote a culture of learning and improvement in care in our submission to the consultation on Serious Adverse Incidents,” she said.