RECOMMENDATIONS for a major culture change within the NHS do not go far enough, according to a patient representative.

Professor Don Berwick, a former advisor to US president Barack Obama, who was tasked to conduct a root-and-branch review of English hospitals, yesterday set out a series of measures to improve patient safety.

His report called for criminal sanctions for staff who wilfully neglect patients and a new culture of openness and transparency.

But he stopped short of including a duty of candour, which would compel staff to inform patients of any errors made in their care, and also resisted calls for minimum staffing ratios.

Russ McLean, chair of the Pennine Lancashire Patient Voices Group, said: “We welcome the report from Professor Berwick, but don’t think he has gone far enough. We would have liked to have seen a duty of candour, to disclose mistakes where mistakes have been made.

“We all know from the Keogh Report that East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust [ELHT] are understaffed and we would welcome the setting of a minimum staffing level, though quite who would pay for that is another worry.

“We will be working closely with all those tasked with local healthcare provision, and striving to ensure that a culture which promotes openness and transparency amongst staff is the norm and not the exception.”

Ian Stanley, deputy medical director at the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals, said: “We feel very strongly that by encouraging the reporting of mistakes we will be able to develop our systems to be safer and to plan how we support and develop our staff to minimise the impact of any mistakes made.”