Wrong hospital performance data by NHS trusts
According to a new documentary, more than half of NHS trusts inspected last year were wrongly reported on their standards of care.
This incorrect assessment has left them open to accusations of misleading the public about levels of compensation claims, patient safety and medical negligence issues.
The Care Quality Commission found that 17 of the 28 hospitals it inspected last year, had assessed themselves wrongly.
The commission is in charge of inspecting hospital trusts and professional negligence.
A spokesman for the Care Quality Commission said a new checking system would be coming into force next month due to the failure. This would ensure fewer hospitals giving out incorrect information.
He said: "We will be using our data sources to monitor trusts' performance on a continual, even day-to-day, basis, and we will have the flexibility to carry out unannounced checks whenever we feel there is a particular concern."
Revelations about wrong data was exposed after mounting evidence suggested certain hospitals were in the process of chalking out plans to cut more than 10 per cent from their budget.
This is suggested as an effort to save the NHS as much as £20 billion over the next three years.
Updated on 11/03/2010