Trish Armstrong-Child, Chief Executive of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “It is very clear from the evidence heard by the jury that inappropriate and unacceptable conduct and practices were taking place at the time and I want to say sorry to patients, families and other colleagues who were impacted by that.
“It’s important now to reassure local people that Blackpool Teaching Hospitals has made significant improvements across a range of issues including staffing, managing medicine and creating a more respectful culture.
“Part of these changes have been to actively encourage anyone who comes into contact with the Trust in any way to speak up if they see or hear anything that causes concern or they are not comfortable with in any way. That’s critical to identifying issues quickly and putting improvements in place to ensure people feel safe in our care.
“Lastly, it’s important to recognise that the Trust employs a team of more than 8,000 people who work so very hard to provide safe and respectful care every day and night. Regulators have repeatedly highlighted ‘caring’ as a strength, this is a key area for all inspections to consider. I want to say thank you to all colleagues who are doing everything in their power to support patients and their families.”