The Latest: Report: Manchester VA working to fix problems
Jan 25, 2018
A spokesman for the Veteran Affairs disputes allegations that the Manchester VA Medical Center failed to take seriously whistleblower complaints of substandard care at the facility and insist it is well on the way to address those shortcomings
CONCORD, N.H. — The Latest on federal whistle-blower report detailing the Manchester VA Medical Center's failure to address complaints of substandard care at the facility (all times local):
2:25 p.m.
A Veteran Affairs spokesman disputes allegations the Manchester VA Medical Center failed to take seriously whistleblower complaints of substandard care at the facility and insists it is well on the way to address those shortcomings.
Curt Cashour said Thursday that Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin had visited the facility last year after problems were identified. He said several members of the Manchester leadership team have been replaced.
Cashour also said the facility addressed a fly infestation at an operating room and responded to a whistleblower complaint about patients developing serious spinal cord diseases. They had launched an independent clinical review of every case that whistleblowers identified. The investigation is ongoing.
The Boston Globe reported last summer that 11 physicians and medical employees alleged the facility was endangering patients.
___
11:20 a.m.
A federal agency has found that the Manchester VA Medical Center failed to take seriously whistleblower complaints of substandard care at the facility, including that a number of patients developed serious spinal cord diseases as a result of clinical neglect.
The findings announced Thursday from the Office of the Special Counsel follow reports last summer from The Boston Globe that 11 physicians and medical employees alleged the Manchester facility was endangering patients. They described a fly-infested operating room, surgical instruments that weren't always sterilized and patients whose conditions were ignored or weren't treated properly.
In response to the Globe report, Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin immediately removed three top officials and ordered an investigation.
A spokesperson for the VA did not respond to a request for comment.
MORE NEWS
Burst of Attacks in Gulf Heightens Fears Over Fragile Energy Trade
Strikes on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia came as the region’s exporters were getting more oil to the world market.
War With Iran Is Forcing the World to Reckon With Geography’s Power
Trade blockages in the Persian Gulf have reminded the world that there are forces as great as or greater than technology and globalization.
High Interest Rates Aren’t Slowing the A.I. Boom. That’s a Problem for the Fed.
Rising borrowing costs are taking a toll on households and businesses. But they are doing little to dampen enthusiasm for investments in A.I. infrastructure, which are contributing to inflation.
Russian officials say 'situation under control' after plague reports
Moscow on Monday downplayed reports that a laboratory technician had died of plague, stressing that post-mortem tests had not detected the disease, while Washington said it was closely monitoring the situation. Reports on Friday that plague had killed a 28-year-old woman named Darya Shipilova, who had been working for the anti-plague institute in Siberia's Irkutsk region, sparked alarm. FRANCE 24's August Hakansson reports.
CNN C.E.O. Mark Thompson Says He Will Stay On Under New Owner Skydance
Mark Thompson told the network’s employees that he had faith that David Ellison, the chief executive of Skydance, would support “independent news that CNN has always stood for.”
5 Challenges David Ellison Faces as Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Merge
The tech scion has given his combination of Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount a new name: Skydance. Now he must make tough decisions about news, movies, streaming, sports and debt.
Shadow chancellor vows to cut at least one tax in every Tory budget
Shadow ministers unveiled a series of policies on day two of the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham.
Supreme Court Tangles Over a Major Climate Change Case
The justices began their new term with a landmark dispute over whether local governments can hold oil companies liable for damages from climate change.
Britain's best beaches for a coastal walk this autumn - as temperatures remain unseasonably high
As temperatures continue to remain mild across the country, here are some of the best beaches for a stroll this autumn.
Pentagon stops using Anthropic AI tools after blacklisting company, BBC told
It labelled Anthropic a "supply chain risk" in February after the firm refused to remove safety guardrails from its tools.
Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s ‘Machine Gun,’ Has a New Gig at Fox News
A fierce and nimble speaker, Ms. Leavitt is the third of Mr. Trump’s former press secretaries to join the cable news network.
Texas Pediatricians Face Paxton Investigations for Vaccinating Children
Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general and Republican Senate candidate, has alleged a sprawling profit-driven conspiracy. Pediatricians say the accusations are an attempt at intimidation.