'Poor NHS care' minister facing MPs

The "shocking" state of affairs at the Mid Staffordshire trust meant patients admitted as emergencies suffered due to serious lapses in care.

Between 400 and 1,200 more people died than would have been expected in a three-year period, an inquiry showed.

Mr Johnson has already apologised to families and patients and announced a review of current A&E services at the hospital as well as one to establish how long problems have been going on for.

Families have described "Third World" conditions at the trust, with some patients drinking water from vases because they were so thirsty and others screaming in pain.

The Healthcare Commission launched an inquiry after concerns were raised about higher than normal death rates in emergency care, in particular at Stafford Hospital.

The trust argued the anomalies were due to "problems with its recording of data and not problems with the quality of care for patients", the report said.

Not satisfied with this reponse, the Commission launched a formal investigation last year, sifting through more than 1,000 documents and interviewing some 300 people.

It found deficiencies at "virtually every stage", including inadequately trained staff who were too few in number, junior doctors left alone in charge at night and dirty wards and bathrooms.

The Commission said the trust's board was more focused on finance, targets and achieving foundation trust status, as well as its desire to save £10 million.