Health secretary to criticise 'complacent' hospitals

Jeremy Hunt will today (March 8th) criticise the culture of "complacency" and "low expectations" he believes is preventing the NHS from making improvements to the way patients are treated.

In a speech to the Nuffield Trust think-tank, the health secretary is set to suggest too many hospitals are settling for reaching minimum standards, rather than providing the greatest possible care.

"Coasting can kill. Not straight away, but over time as complacency sets in, organisations look inwards, standards drop and then suddenly something gives," Mr Hunt is expected to say.

These comments come one month after the Francis Report into the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust scandal was published. It suggested there is too much focus on protecting corporate interests and not enough instances of patients being put first.

Mr Hunt is expected to clarify that he does not feel the majority of NHS trusts are mediocre, but improvements need to be made in those that are.

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