Health Secretary Alan Johnson is due to be handed the results of an independent review into A&E at shamed Stafford Hospital in the coming days, the Department of Health has revealed.
Mr Johnson ordered national clinical director Professor Sir George Alberti to look in detail at emergency departments at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust following the damning Healthcare Commission report a month ago.
Its findings could lead to further interventions by the Government and watchdog bodies if failings and staff shortages are still being found.
Nick Johnson, a Department of Health spokesman, said: “We are due to receive the report from George Alberti this week and it will be published shortly afterwards.”
The trust, which is overseen by Monitor rather than the Department of Health as it is a semi-independent Foundation organisation, was criticised for appalling standards of care that led to at least 400 unnecessary deaths.
A&E services came under particular scrutiny with revelations that secretaries were carrying out initial checks on patients because of severe nursing and doctor shortages. Hospital bosses have attempted to start a new chapter in its history with new chief executive Eric Morton announcing board meetings to be held in public and now appointing a new medical director.
Manjit Obhrai joined the trust’s team of executives this month and replaces former medical director, Dr Val Suarez, who decided last year to return to her full time medical duties as a pathologist.
Mr Obhrai has been a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at University Hospital of North Staffordshire for 18 years and will continue to work one day a week as associate postgraduate dean and foundation school director for West Midlands Workforce Deanery.
Mr Obhrai said: “I am passionate about moving the trust forward. This is an important time for the trust to regain public confidence and live up to the aspiration of delivering the best quality of care for all our patients every time.”
