Stafford Hospital patients were 'routinely neglected', inquiry finds
The inquiry chairman, who said the failure at Stafford could not be laid at the door of any one individual, concluded his remarks by stressing that the NHS must put patients first.
"Statistics, benchmarks and action plans are tools, not ends in themselves. "They should not come before patients and their experiences.
"This is what must be remembered by all those who design and implement policy for the NHS."
The General Medical Council (GMC) said several doctors involved in Mid Staffs had been referred to it for investigation but would not disclose how many.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has also opened a case file and is investigating at least one nurse. It is also considering whether other nurses should be investigated.
Niall Dickson, chief executive of the GMC, said: "This is a distressing report that reveals significant failings at Mid Staffordshire Trust.
"The report highlights a number of very serious issues about the quality of patient care, including concerns about the conduct and performance of some doctors working at the trust.
"The medical director has referred several doctors to the GMC and we are working closely with the hospital to ensure that we have the information we require to investigate and, if necessary, to suspend or restrict their practice during the investigation."
