NHS 'wilful neglect' proposal

Lorraine Brewin was admitted to hospital for a routine varicose vein surgery, during surgery a main vein was severed and complications following that led to her having her left leg amputated.

Lorraine said: "I just thought I'd be in that day, home in the afternoon and in a week or so returning to work. I never envisioned that I'd end up like this, it's something that never entered my head.

"Everything's changed, you become dependent on the people around you."

Read more: NHS 'wilful neglect' proposal

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told ITV News that there was "merit" in the proposal for a 'wilful neglect' criminal offence but stopped short at saying the Government would implement the idea.

Watch: Berwick - 'Wilful neglect' offence would rarely be used

Read the full report here

Professor Don Berwick, who conducted a review into NHS patient safety, told ITV News that the proposal of a new criminal offence for 'wilful neglect' would only be used in "extremely rare" cases.

Read: Profile - Who is Professor Don Berwick?

Changing the culture of the NHS will "trump" any new rules and strategies, Professor Don Berwick's review said.

Improving patient safety should "permeate every action and level in the NHS", the report added.

The Government-ordered report said "achieving a vastly safer NHS will depend far more on major cultural change than on a new regulatory regime".

Read the full report here

Professor Don Berwick's report into patient safety said the NHS must:

• Recognise the need for wide systemic change.
• Abandon blame as a tool and trust the good intentions of staff.
• Realise that transparency is essential.
• Make sure the staff have pride and joy in their work, not fear.

Read the full report here.

Click here to read Professor Don Berwick's review into patient safety in the NHS.

Read: US expert publishes patient safety report

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told ITV News he will consider Professor Don Berwick's proposal that a new criminal offence for 'wilful neglect' should be made law.

Read: Profile - Who is Professor Don Berwick?

Watch: Victim's mother calls for minimum staffing level

A review of patient safety by Professor Don Berwick has been published and among the key findings are:

• A new criminal offence for 'wilful neglect' should be made law.
• Guidelines on how many staff should be on a ward at one time.
• Criticising the system of regulation in the NHS as too complex.

Read: Profile - Who is Professor Don Berwick?

Watch: Victim's mother calls for minimum staffing level