Patient Stories — provoking debate to generate change

March 31, 2013 / Films / by Murray Anderson-Wallace

Gillian’s Story

Gillian James, a former nurse, lived largely independently with progressive multiple sclerosis for more than 30 years. This film tells the story of the care she received in a number of settings during the last sixteen months of her life. This film was first shown at the NHS England / NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement National Patient Safety Conference on the 30th January 2013. Murray Anderson-Wallace, PATIENTSTORIES Executive Producer who worked with the family to research and produce the [...]

March 27, 2013 / Films / by Murray Anderson-Wallace

Beth’s Story

“At 6.15pm on 27th July 2006 my family’s world as it was ended. We were a normal family of five; now we are three.” Clare Bowen, mother of Bethany, Will & James and widow of Richard. In this moving and challenging documentary we tell the story of the Bowen family following the tragic death of Bethany during ‘routine’ surgery. Following the trauma of his daughter’s death and the ‘torture’ of the inquest, Richard died suddenly of a massive heart attack [...]

March 10, 2013 / Films / by Murray Anderson-Wallace

Paul’s Story

In 2007 when Paul Richards was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma his family were stunned by the news. Paul was fit, healthy and had a happy family and work life. Paul began treatment which was progressing well and his family were slowly adjusting to Paul’s diagnosis. Everyone was hopeful. An admission to hospital however was to cost Paul his life and change his family forever. On the 22nd July 2007, Paul Richards and Baljit Singh (both inpatients on the same ward) [...]

March 8, 2013 / Comment / by Murray Anderson-Wallace

The art and science of apology

Speaking shortly after the publication on his Inquiry report Robert Francis QC reflected on his experience of the complaints system at Stafford Hospital saying: “Complaints were made but depressingly there was a pattern. There would be a complaint, there would be a formal response and an apology plus an action plan that would not be put into force. The same thing would happen again, the same apology would be issued and pretty much the same action plan, and people carried [...]

January 29, 2013 / Films / by Murray Anderson-Wallace

Alexandra’s Story

This is a moving and challenging drama-documentary that tells the story of Alexandra, who died as a result of a spinal injury aged 3 days. After an uncomplicated and healthy pregnancy Beatrix Futák-Campbell was admitted to hospital two weeks after her expected due date. Despite the sudden change in her birth plan she was optimistic and confident. But as her labour failed to progress, the communication between Beatrix, her husband and their caregivers began to disintegrate. After 40 hours of [...]

January 1, 2013 / Comment / by Murray Anderson-Wallace

Why sorry doesn’t have to be the hardest word…

In this article, recently published in the British Medical Journal, Jane Feinmann, Medical Journalist & PATIENTSTORIES regular contributor explores why “being open”, despite significant effort and attention is proving such a struggle for the NHS. The Command paper published on Monday 20th June suggests that a statutory “duty of candour” will now form part of the Health & Social Care Bill although the announcement that this will through “contractual mechanisms” does not fill me with confidence that the issue will [...]

November 15, 2012 / Comment / by Murray Anderson-Wallace

Beth’s Story – Comment and Analysis…

We have now launched three new short films which explore the lessons that can be learnt from the tragic and powerful story of Bethany Bowen (as told by Clare Bowen in our film “Beth’s Story“) These films explore a range of issues illustrated by the film with analysis from expert commentators including journalist and broadcaster Dr Phil Hammond, former NHS Chief Executive Stephen Ramsden OBE; medico-legal specialist Dr Stephanie Bown of the Medical Protection Society and Clare Bowen, Beth’s mother [...]

June 22, 2012 / Films / by Murray Anderson-Wallace

Alison & Sue’s Story

Despite the significant reduction in healthcare associated infections they still occur too frequently, creating serious distress and harm for patients and their families as a result. In this short film Alison and Sue discuss their personal experiences of both an MRSA and C-difficile infection and the impressions of healthcare services that they were left with as a result. This film which was made in its original form in partnership with the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, is now being [...]

From the archives

How do we learn from patients’ poor experiences?

by Murray Anderson-Wallace & Dr Suzanne Shale. Far from sapping their time and energy, nurturing the healing relationship at the heart of medicine sustains clinicians’ vitality. This article was originally published by the Health Service Journal How do we learn from patients’ and families’ poor experiences? - PDF document

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What kind of problem is NHS culture?

Drawing on lessons from social psychology, PATIENTSTORIES Executive Producer, Murray Anderson-Wallace and ethicist Dr Suzanne Shale identify three main traps to avoid when thinking about culture in the NHS. This article is part of a series of pieces written to co-incide with the publication of the Francis Inquiry. The attached PDF is an extended version of an article originally published by the Guardian Healthcare Network. What kind of problem is NHS culture – Download PDF

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“Lessons will be Learned” – a tragi-comedy for our times…

by Jenny Wallace A play in 4 acts, with a prologue and epilogue Set in this country and performed by a large cast. Dramatis personae: members of the judiciary, police, NHS staff, teachers and examiners, journalists and broadcasters, social workers, bankers and politicians. All played by themselves (with some actors playing more than one part) Synopsis of the Play: Prologue An individual or group of people is/are responsible for an error, mistake or intentional action which affects others adversely and [...]

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The art and science of apology

Speaking shortly after the publication on his Inquiry report Robert Francis QC reflected on his experience of the complaints system at Stafford Hospital saying: “Complaints were made but depressingly there was a pattern. There would be a complaint, there would be a formal response and an apology plus an action plan that would not be put into force. The same thing would happen again, the same apology would be issued and pretty much the same action plan, and people carried [...]

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What’s in a name: some thoughts on the importance of language to the professions

By Jenny Wallace Some years ago, I was informed that the profession which I had been following was no longer to be known as “teaching”, but “delivering the curriculum”. At first, I hardly took this seriously, especially as I and my colleagues in a successful and well-respected school had always prided ourselves on going far beyond the curriculum in order to provide our students with wider horizons and the opportunity to develop their critical faculties. However I was soon forced [...]

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Robert Francis QC – Lessons from Stafford

by Murray Anderson-Wallace Earlier this week I spent the day at the Kings Fund at the first post Francis conference. I suspect there will be many more! Robert Francis QC offered a solid, convincing and unambigious summary account of some key themes from the Inquiry. I think he is a considered and considerate man and hope very much that he will use his “air-time” over the coming months to keep minds focussed. This will be especially important when the [...]

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Reflections on “Just Culture”

There has been a great deal of talk about the need for “cultural change” in and around the health service in recent weeks. There has also been a great deal of publicity around the need for accountability. In the wake of the Francis Inquiry, Cure the NHS have called for the resignation of Sir David Nicholson, the NHS Chief Executive. Extensive media coverage has been fuelling the debate. Professor Sidney Dekker, a cognitive psychologist and current Director of the Key [...]

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