THOUSANDS more patients may have died at 14 hospital trusts than would normally be expected, a report by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh has found, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told MPs.

Eleven of the hospitals, includiong Basildon, looked at by Sir Bruce are to be placed into special measures for "fundamental breaches of care", Mr Hunt said.

External teams are to be sent into 11 hospitals identified by Sir Bruce Keogh as having "fundamental breaches of care".

Mr Hunt told MPs the special measures would be used after mortality data said thousands of patients may have died in the hospitals.

Mr Hunt said of Basildon Hospital: "There were seven 'never' events in three years and concerns over infection control and overnight staffing levels."

Full report here http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/bruce-keogh-review/Documents/outcomes/Basildon%20and%20Thurrock%20University%20Hospitals%20NHS%20Foundation%20Trust%20RRR%20report.pdf

And he said the best way to restore the public's trust in the NHS was "transparency and honesty" about the problems faced by the health service.

As part of the process of special measures for the 11, teams of external experts will be sent into the organisations to work with the senior management team.

Regular updates on their progress will also be given.

Among the problems identified were:

• Patients being left on trolleys, unmonitored for excessive periods and then being talked down to by consultants

• Poor maintenance in operating theatres, potentially putting patients in danger

• Patients often being moved repeatedly between wards without being told why

• Staff working for 12 days in a row without a break

• Blood being taken from patients in full view of the rest of the ward

• Low levels of clinical cover - especially out of hoursMr Hunt said the review had found the NHS's reputation mattered more than individual patients and targets mattered more than people.

Mr Hunt said: "We owe it to the 3 million who use the NHS every week to tackle and confront abuse, incompetence and weak leadership head-on.

"No statistics are perfect but mortality rates suggest since 2005 thousands more people may have died than would normally be expected at the 14 trusts reviewed by Sir Bruce.

"Worryingly in half of those trusts the CQC (Care Quality Commission), the regulator specifically responsible for patient safety and care, failed to spot any real cause for concern rating them as compliant with basic standards."

Mr Hunt said each of the trusts had seen "substantial changes" to their management since 2010, including a new chief executive or chairman at nine of the 14.

But he said: "However, while some have improved failure or mediocrity is so deeply entrenched at others that they have continued to decline, making the additional measures I announce today necessary.

"This time the process was thorough, expert-led and consisted of both planned, unannounced and out-of-hours visits placing particular weight on the views of staff and patients.

"Where failures were found that presented an immediate risk to patients they were confronted straight away rather than waiting until the report was finished."