Chat Ed : Hello everyone and welcome to our live webchat with Karen Edwards the Producer of tonight’s Dispatches: Undercover Angels. This week Dispatches went undercover to investigate nursing standards and care of vulnerable elderly patients in two busy NHS hospitals. Two experienced nursing assistants wore hidden cameras inside their uniforms for three months: for the first time nurses were investigating nurses. What they discovered is a damning catalogue of inefficiency, neglect and sub-standard treatment that clearly compromises patient care.
Karen Edwards : Hi, it's Karen Edwards here - the Producer of the programme. I'm interested to hear of any reaction to the issues raised in tonight's Dispatches. I'm not a nursing expert though so please bear that in mind when asking your questions.
jenmac : As a student due to start my nursing course, I fear that my view of the nursing profession is not quite what it will be.
albroadhurst : I am a qualified nurse, and currently work in the NHS trust, I know some of these practices go on but there are good practice by lots of staff. It seemed to be a little slanted view of NHS as a whole, these kinds of programmes make it hard for professionals to be taken seriously as a good nurse
london nurse : do you, as the producer, feel that you showed nurses in their true light?
Karen Edwards : We acknowledged in the programme that we witnessed some very good nursing in very difficult conditions. I hope that the issues and concerns that we have raised in tonight's programme only bring about a positive change in nursing.
Angela : Well done Despatches, you have portrayed the attitude of SOME nurses exactly.
jmarhsall : why did you pick these particular hospitals?
starbucks : Good nurses don't need hearing that they are good all the time, hence the poor practices have to be highlighted.
Karen Edwards : We didn't want to go undercover and investigate the hospitals that are always named as the worst in the media. We picked two hospitals that were not the best, but equally not the worst. From the start the programme was about nurses and not about exposing any particular hospital.
ALW : what an incredible piece of filming, I’m in total shock at the moment and just thinking about the older people who have to go through this
Carla : Why did you choose to focus on staff caring for elderly patients?
Karen Edwards : One of the reasons I started this programme is because of relatives who had witnessed and experienced their loved ones, in their later years, being provided with poor care in hospitals - the majority of patients in hospital are elderly and vulnerable and it is these patients who find it the hardest to complain and raise their concerns with the nursing staff.
gayle : how did you choose the appropriate nurses for the program??
Karen Edwards : I picked the two nurses after meeting with many different carers. The two nurses who worked on this programme were picked because they were passionate about their profession but also intelligent enough to see where the problems lay.
Shocked : Do you think the 2 nurses will suffer any 'adverse' treatment from their colleagues as a result of this?
Karen Edwards : Both the girls had already decided to leave the profession, however I think it would be sad if the nursing authorities, or their colleagues, were to hold them to account personally for this programme.
starbucks : The two nurses should be congratulated for being so brave and showing their face. I don't know if I had the guts to for this.
Karen Edwards : I totally agree starbucks. It was very difficult for both of them to be investigating their colleagues and both of them showed enormous courage.
System Spy : What do you think of the Trusts response to your programme?
locker : The reaction of the hospital management was by the book - words said in the right order - be good to check in a couple of months result of complaint?
Karen Edwards : My only hope is that both the Trusts live up to their word and investigate the issues raised in this programme. I'd not like to see any particular individuals punished as a result, but more widespread changes in the nursing practice.
kirsty : Are you planning to revisit these hospitals in the future to see if your presence has had an impact on their practices and improved care?
Karen Edwards : We'll just have to wait and see.
DaveG : What were you hoping to achieve in this program? Did it meet its goals?
xCLAREx : What did you set out to achieve by filming and broadcasting this show?
Peter 24 : What did you hope to achieve from broadcasting this evenings programme?
Karen Edwards : My hope is to ensure that all patients who are admitted to an NHS hospital get given the best possible care. It's a case of only time will tell if the programme prompts any change in practice.
dcch : Is the producer worried that his program may be too sensationalist and end up burying the facts under all the controversy?
sharon B : I feel that the programme may have damaged any good feeling still around about the image of Nurses
Karen Edwards : My real hope from making this programme is that the nursing profession itself will take on board the issues and address them.
penny : I think the program will make the family of patients look more closely at exactly what is happening and give them the courage to complain.
Karen Edwards : I hope any controversy does not stop this from taking place. I'd be thrilled if I thought this programme was going to help patients and their relatives to feel more confident in their right to complain.
nuosphere : NHS management should take on the issues and help nurses - not over burden them!!!!
Becky : you didn't show nurses working 10-14 shifts in a row having no meal breaks, and not being paid overtime because the trust cannot afford it?
Karen Edwards : We did acknowledge in the programme that sometimes the NHS system itself made the nurses' jobs harder, but I think in all the cases of basic care that we illustrated, it did not come down to money or staffing.
Kale : I hope that Ward Managers all over the country will get out from behind their desks and sort it.
Karen Edwards : So do I, Kale.
Julie : did you get any input from the NMC
Karen Edwards : In the early days of my research I spoke to members of the NMC, but within the actual production they were not involved.
BarbaraGardner : I commend you for producing this programme, after all it could be any one of us someday
cheerybanana : did you consider comparing the private hospitals
Karen Edwards : I agree, my overriding thought whenever I was watching the raw material was 'imagine if that was MY mother or father'. I was specifically looking at investigating NHS hospitals so I didn't make any comparisons, no.
Chat Ed : Our half hour with Karen is almost up, so last few questions now...
nuosphere : Karen, I hope your program highlights the need for support in the system, not threats or disruption. Well done - this is good journalism - I hope it does help.
suzanne : How do we improve the situation? - what can we (the public/patient/carer/)do?
Karen Edwards : So do I nuosphere, I only ever make these programmes with the intention of having a positive outcome. I think everyone should feel confident enough to demand the best of care in hospitals and not be scared of asking the nurses for more time and help. But I also think that a lot of the problems can be solved by the nurses themselves realising just how important basic care is to the patient.
Andy : Hospitals need inspectors just like schools!
adamaaqa : do you believe that the situation with treatment of patients will ever change?
rohanis : Some are fantastic , some are awful - why the difference?
Karen Edwards : I hope so, adam, because I know I'll need a nurse one day. I don't think they are big problems to solve and our investigation has indicated that the training is partly to blame.
bridget jones : nurses are responsible for making sure that they care for their patients in a safe environment therefore it is there responsibility to ensure the ward is clean
Paul McQ : nurses should be more assertive to say 'no' when other matters not concerning care
jmp : i loved nursing when i first started but it has changed so much now
Danielle : From my experience they all seem to collude together when a complaint is made and cover for each other
Jane 1968 : It's not just ward managers-it goes back to expectations of the nurses and public!
jjx : jjx - do you think an examination of the nurse education system is relevant?
coastalchris : Excellent programme - Thanks!
james : Please please please make a POSITIVE programme soon to instil some trust in nurses again.
healthpscy : I think it is naive to suggest nurses don't think basic care is important. However I think you have to address the extended roles nurses now do that they didn't years ago
Andy Spink : The nurses portrayed in this film should hang their head in shame.
Princess : Thank u Karen
James 4th yr studen : True andy - but remember they are in the significant minority.
Karen Edwards : Thank you for all your positive comments. I sincerely hope that only good things come from this programme.
Karen Edwards leaves the room
