Final Report > Chapter 1: Introduction > Establishment of the Inquiry and Terms of Reference

Establishment of the Inquiry and Terms of Reference

14 On 18 June 1998 Frank Dobson MP, then Secretary of State for Health, announced to Parliament the establishment of this Inquiry. Our Terms of Reference were:

`To inquire into the management of the care of children receiving complex cardiac surgical services at the Bristol Royal Infirmary between 1984 and 1995 and relevant related issues; to make findings as to the adequacy of the services provided; to establish what action was taken both within and outside the hospital to deal with concerns raised about the surgery and to identify any failure to take appropriate action promptly; to reach conclusions from these events and to make recommendations which could help to secure high quality care across the NHS.'