Poor medical care blamed for NHS deaths

Patients in NHS intensive care units are dying because of poor treatment, it was revealed today.

An investigation into more than 400 deaths found that almost half of the patients involved received care classified as "less than good".

The medical care in a third of those cases was so poor it might have contributed to the death.

The National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death said treatment was often delayed and basic care was not carried out well enough.

The report also called for wider out-of-hours cover and better supervision of junior doctors by senior medics. Dr Peter Simpson, chairman of the Enquiry, said: "This study is as much about facilities and resources as it is about clinical practice.

"Although in many cases overall numbers of hospital inpatient beds are being reduced, the increased complexity of medical care and the expectations of the public mean that there are many more critically ill patients."

Dr Jonathan Fielden, deputy chairman of the BMA's consultants' committee and a consultant in intensive care, said the new consultant contract should ensure patient care is put first.