Heart Hospital Blunder Scandal
AN OXFORD HOSPITAL has come under fire for failing to inform patients and relatives when things went wrong, and leaving junior doctors unsupervised.
The BBC carried out an undercover investigation into the Oxford Heart Centre, part of the John Radcliffe Hospital. They described the centre as "a troubled institution with poor relationships between staff, a history of inadequate supervision of junior doctors and, according to the community health council, a culture of secrecy."
The investigation revealed that, in August 1999 two-year-old Sefeena Begum, from Aylesbury, was admitted to the centre for routine surgery to correct a hole in the heart. She died.
A confidential hospital inquiry was launched without the knowledge of the Sefeena's parents. It found that heat from the lights in the operating theatre had contributed to her death. But her family was never told anything about the finding.
John Radcliffe's recently-appointed chief executive David Highton says he is sorry if relatives feel they have not been given the right information. But he pointed out that there is no problem with the overall results of surgery at the heart centre.
"Firstly I would want to apologise if the actions of the hospital have caused so many distress needlessly," he told the BBC.
An NHS inquiry into the centre is expected to report its findings in the next few weeks.
5th Oct 2000