NHS whistleblowers are to be given better protection in a bid to improve patient safety in the wake of the Gosport hospital scandal, the Government has announced.

The Department of Health and Social Care also set out plans to change the law to compel every NHS Trust in England to report annually on how concerns raised by staff and patients have been addressed.

The announcement forms part of the department’s response to the report into deaths linked to the dangerous over-prescribing of powerful painkillers at Gosport War Memorial Hospital.

More than 450 people had their lives shortened at the Hampshire hospital, while another 200 were “probably” similarly given opioids between 1989 and 2000 without medical justification, according to the Gosport Independent Panel report released earlier this year.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “The findings in the Gosport report are truly shocking.

“It is not just the case that these were preventable deaths, but deaths directly caused by the actions of others and a deeply troubling account of people dying at the hands of those who were trusted to care.”

He added: “Motivated by this report we will bring forward new legislation which will compel NHS trusts to report annually on how concerns raised by staff have been addressed.

“And we are working with colleagues in the Business Department to see how we can strengthen protection for NHS whistleblowers including changing the law and other options.”

Gosport War Memorial Hospital, where more than 450 people had their lives shortened, according to the report
More than 450 people had their lives shortened at the Gosport War Memorial Hospital, according to the report (Chris Ison/PA)

He also told MPs how patient safety would improve further under plans for all deaths to be scrutinised by medical examiners or coroners from April next year.

The Department said that medical examiners will provide a new level of scrutiny to help deter criminal activity and poor practice.

They will be overseen by a new independent national medical examiner, Mr Hancock added.

He also made a “profound and unambiguous apology” on behalf of the Government and the NHS for the “hurt and anguish” endured by grieving families.

Bridget Reeves (centre), the granddaugher of Elsie Devine who died at the hospital, and her mother Ann (second from right) speak to the media after the disclosure of the report
Bridget Reeves (centre), the granddaugher of Elsie Devine who died at the hospital, and her mother Ann (second from right) speak to the media after the disclosure of the report (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

He said: “The failures were made worse because whistleblowers were not listened to, investigations fell short and lessons failed to be learned.

“Relatives felt betrayed by those in authority and made to feel like troublemakers for asking legitimate questions.”

The death toll at Gosport could have been reduced by hundreds had whistleblowers been listened to, Mr Hancock told the Commons.

He said: “Nurses raised concerns as far back as 1988 but were ignored or sidelined.

“More than 100 families raised concerns over two decades but they were ignored and patronised.

“Frail, elderly people were seen as problems to be managed rather than patients to be cared for.

“Perhaps the most harrowing part of the report is when it makes clear that if actions had been taken when problems were first raised then hundreds fewer would have died.”

The department also announced that NHS England will review the role of controlled drug accountable officers, who monitor and ensure safe practices are in place for prescribing and administration, and the Care Quality Commission will review how they regulate duty of candour – the requirement that NHS trusts are open and honest with patients when things go wrong.