Last week saw the publication of yet another damning report shining a spotlight on the culture of cover up and denial in our healthcare system. Bill Kirkup’s report—”The Life and Death of Elizabeth Dixon: A Catalyst for Change,” reveals a 20 year coverup following the preventable death of baby Elizabeth Dixon. Kirkup states that “…there were failures of care by every organisation that looked after [Elizabeth] none of which was admitted at the time, nor properly investigated then or later. Instead, a cover up began on the day that she died, propped up by denial and deception, which has proved extremely hard to dislodge over the years.

Whilst these findings should be shocking, to many people with experience of how our healthcare system often responds when things go wrong, myself included—the findings of Kirkup’s report come as no surprise at all.  

Although the events occurred two decades ago, Kirkup warns that to assume the issues revealed are historic would be misguided  “…the attitudes, behaviours and systemic problems that have been exposed have not disappeared.

Indeed, the reasons why this 20 year cover up has eventually been revealed has little to do with the current architecture of the healthcare system and everything to do with the unwavering dedication of Elizabeth’s parents who, like forensic detectives, have had to unpick conscious efforts to distort the truth and fight against a system that seemed set against helping them.
An investigation that was set up by NHS England at the request of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in 2014 was withdrawn at the last minute, a direct order from Simon Stevens. The case was subsequently considered by PHSO but rejected for investigation in late 2015. It was only in 2017, when former Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt intervened and commissioned Kirkup to investigate, that the path of closed doors and obfuscation finally changed direction.

These circumstances beg a question that deserves a frank and honest assessment and answer; how many other similar cases are out there where serious patient safety failures have led to tragic outcomes and the response has been a similar cover up? Kirkup is clear, stating in an interview for the Independent newspaper… it is impossible to rule out there being other people who are in a similar position. In fact, I know of some who are.

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