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Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust

I agree with my hon. Friend that that is, in many ways, the main message that comes out of the report. I was shocked to read that the work force review of March 2008 found a shortage of 120 whole-time equivalents, as well as one consultant in A and E when there should have been four, and 37 nurses when there should have been 55. Herein lie many of the problems the trust faced. It simply had an inadequate work force to deal with what needed to be done on a daily basis. That led to intolerable pressure on the wards, which in turn led to unacceptable treatment of patients. It is absolutely clear to me that this is unacceptable. That is one of the main messages that comes out of the report—and indeed, Robert Francis describes the trust as chronically understaffed.