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Patient safety watchdog launches investigation into NHS 111 advice to Covid patients

Review will study whether failings by the telephone service and poor advice to stay at home cost lives
The NHS patient safety watchdog has launched an investigation into failings by the NHS 111 telephone advice service which may have cost the lives of people with Covid-19.
The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) has begun looking into what advice the service gave to several callers who rang during the pandemic seeking its help because they were unwell.
The inquiry follows a series of disclosures in the Guardian last year by David Conn about serious problems with NHS 111’s performance, some of which are claimed to have led to deaths. He revealed that:People who were critically ill with Covid died after they were wrongly told to stay at home rather than seek medical help at hospital.
Call handlers did not seem to recognise that conditions such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis made patients more likely to fall seriously ill with Covid.
Nurses who worked for NHS 111 said the service was unsafe because staff were not able to make clinical assessments about how ill patients were, and had been given only four hours’ training.
The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Group believes that several hundred of its members had a relative die after calling 111 and being told that they should stay at home. They have demanded a public inquiry into the service’s record during the pandemic.
At the time NHS 111 was far busier than usual, answering up to 3m calls a month, as the government and NHS urged people to ring it rather than go to A&E or to see a GP.
The Guardian reported that there were particular problems with the quality of advice given by call handlers working for the Coronavirus Response Service which 111 set up, and that was run by the South Central ambulance service (SCAS). An intensive internal audit found that “over 60% of calls
Concerns were also raised early in the pandemic last spring that the service could not cope with the sudden sharp increase in callers and that some people waited a long time to speak to a call handler, with some ringing off
HSIB usually decides to inquire into an alleged lapse of safety in the NHS when it receives a “trigger case” which causes its investigators concern that a problem may be common. In the case of NHS 111, however, the agency is now examining the helpline’s handling of several cases.
The watchdog said in a statement: “Following concerns brought to us via the chair of our Citizen’s Partnership we undertook focus groups with members of the public to explore the issues raised around the NHS 111 response to callers with potential Covid-19 symptoms.
“These initial focus groups have helped to shape the direction of the investigation and we are now looking at several reference cases, rather than a single incident, to establish what the national learning is for the NHS 111 service.
“As the investigation progresses we will carry out further focus groups to ensure that the public perspective is integrated fully into our investigation.”
It gave no further details and expects to produce interim findings and then a final report.
NHS England and South Central ambulance service have been approached for comment.
source: Denis Campbell
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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