NHS hospital sparks outrage after staff are promised chocolate ‘Easter treats’ for patients soon to be discharged
A health service hospital has sparked outrage after offering chocolate prizes to medical teams for quickly discharging patients.
NHS bosses have urged all hospitals to clear beds ahead of Easter weekend and the young doctors’ strike.
But one hospital had to apologize after offering boxes of chocolates to those quickest at sending patients home.
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust promised ‘Easter treats’ to the fastest teams every day.
A newsletter, issued on Friday, said: ‘The trust has launched a Home for Easter campaign asking colleagues to ensure that patients are discharged in time to free up bed space over the Easter period and in preparation for the second doctors’ strikes. ‘
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust promised ‘Easter treats’ every day to the fastest teams (Photo: Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, the trust’s main site)
It added: “There will be a daily competition for divisions, with the best teams receiving some Easter chocolate.”
The trust was hit by a barrage of online complaints. It said in a statement: “We are truly sorry for the impact of that message.
Daily competition for departments
“We’ve read your comments… and raise our hands to say this is our mistake.”
It added: ‘We know that incentives have no place in influencing clinical decisions.’
Last week, in a letter to all trusts, NHS England’s medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, asked that ‘additional efforts should be made to discharge patients in advance of bank holiday weekends’ ahead of the strikes.