Leigh MP Andy Burnham came under fire for insulting the victims of the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal in a heated Twitter exchange this weekend.
The shadow health secretary suggested it would have been better if the Francis report into 1,200 patient’s deaths due to neglect and poor care was never published.
The hospital was hit with controversy in 2010 for high mortality rates and Mr Burnham said that the benefits of a public inquiry had not outweighed the reputational damage to the hospital.
He provoked a flood of comments on Twitter after attacking Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt over the growing crisis in A&E and wrote: “Situation in A&E is getting serious. @Jeremy_Hunt must come to Commons to explain what back-up plans are in place.”
In response Shaun Lintern, a reporter on the Health Service Journal, pointed out that Mr Burnham had always blocked a full public inquiry into Mid Staffs while in office.
.@Stephenh61 I think you will find that I appointed Robert Francis to begin an inquiry six weeks after taking office as Health Secretary.
— Andy Burnham (@andyburnhammp) December 13, 2014
But Mr Burnham argued that he appointed Robert Francis to begin an inquiry six weeks after taking office as Health Secretary in 2009.
He replied: “I was worried that a full public inquiry would damage the trust beyond repair. Think that’s been borne out.”
Mr Burnham was also accused of political point scoring from a selection of people who weighed in on the debate.
Stephen Harris from Surrey said: “Getting serious? Months ago you said there was 24 hours to save the NHS. Hyperbole makes you sound like the boy who cried wolf.
“Doubtless a lot of serious issues around the NHS, but constant scaremongering and political point scoring weakens your cause.
“Your credibility sinks with constant exaggeration and scaremongering, stick to facts. Shame that you weren’t quite so concerned about Mid Staffs when you had a chance to make a difference.”
Anthony Beever, from Huddersfield, believed that the shadow health secretary was doing an honorable job though.
“Keep it up Andy, the government need to know what their policies have done to the NHS. You left office with a good NHS,” he said.
Image courtesy of BBC, via Youtube, with thanks.
