Hospitals are still putting targets before patient safety, a report has warned.

The House of Commons Health Committee said there had been "insufficient progress" towards the Government's goal to make safety a priority across the whole healthcare system.

It found Government policy "too often" gave the impression that hitting waiting list and accident and emergency targets, achieving financial balance and attaining Foundation Trust status were more important than patient safety.

"This has undoubtedly, in a number of well documented cases, been a contributory factor in making services unsafe," the report said.

The committee noted the Healthcare Commission's finding that achieving Foundation status was one of the factors which "distracted" Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust from patient safety.

The commission found "appalling standards of care and chaotic systems for looking after patients" when it investigated a higher than expected number of deaths at the trust.

The report said the committee was "unconvinced of the case for a full public inquiry" in light of the work already done by the commission and others but did "see merit" in holding private hearings to allow staff to give evidence confidentially followed by a public report of findings.

Committee chairman Kevin Barron said: "It's difficult to say it couldn't happen again but I hope it won't happen again."

Member Dr Richard Taylor, the independent MP for Wyre Forest, Worcestershire, added: "I'm worried that quality of care is lacking in some other hospitals. Whether there's anything quite as bad as Stafford, we hope not."

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