Our failing healthcare system needs compassion not criticism

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We need to have an honest discussion in society about how to learn lessons without resorting to a blame culture (PA)

In discussing the death of his son, Mr Caseby makes a poignant point. The failings in mental healthcare in the UK are multifaceted. Whereas it is easy to blame poor private provision, the picture is much more complex and there are questions to be answered about why the NHS outsources sometimes its most complex clientele to the private sector. Anyone following the story will also know that the Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator, has not always covered itself in glory.

Our system does not work as well as it should. We need to have an honest discussion in society about how to learn lessons without resorting to a blame culture. For as long as I have been a doctor we have been discussing how important this is but never seem to have gotten to this point. Blame drives litigation and burnout rather than healing and reform. The toll this has taken on the workforce is palpable. Our patients, professionals and services are collectively traumatised. Some well-applied intelligent kindness would go a long way to promoting recovery.

Dr Musa Sami Nottingham