© Mark Metcalf – January 2006
A local Health Watchdog Committee has attacked Leeds Mental Health NHS Teaching Trust, stating in a letter to its Chief Executive Chris Butler that it finds it ‘extremely difficult to believe in any statement made by anyone on behalf’ of the organisation.
Hospital Alert also accuse the Chief Executive and Directors of not acting ‘in the ‘public interest’ but in the interest of the Trust an allegation which Chris Butler has responded to by saying that “it either needs to be properly substantiated or withdrawn”.
The Health Watchdog’s outburst is centred upon a previous letter from the Chief Executive’s to them, in which he states, that the three controversial Leeds Mental Health Trust PFI hospitals were not designed as ‘Patient Hotels’ and that ‘this was a popular myth’
Clearly unsatisfied with this reply the letter from Maureen Idle quotes from a number of reports including a letter to Leeds City Council building department control dated 29/04/1999 from the builders B&N that one of the three, the Mount, ‘will be classed as a patient hotel’.
Hospital Alert’s letter also attacks the Trust’s treatment of two of their employees, AMICUS representative Paul Cockcroft and Trust Fire Officer Chris Hindle, after they were suspended and subjected to disciplinary action.
The letter suggests that the Trust had penalised the men for speaking out. ‘We believe that Mr Hindle may have been expressing his concerns to you for over three years and as an expert, should have been listened to. Questions need to be asked as to why his concerns were ignored, We feel the Trust is excessively concerned with confidentiality to the point of misleading the public’
They conclude that “in view of all this evidence, it now makes it extremely difficult to believe in any statement made by anyone on behalf of the Trust’
‘We feel that members of the public want no further cover-ups, and that our fears and complaints should be listened to and acted upon. It is time the Trust accepted that mistakes have been made in this matter instead of constantly denying this ‘
Defending the Trust Chris Butler disputes that it has “misled the public” and he argues that “every care has been taken to establish the position concerning fire precautions” including commissioning “expert external advice”.
He also states that Trust has having “willingly, and openly, cooperated with the independent in-depth investigation of the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Board of Leeds City Council into fire precautions at the three main PFI sites”.
He “acknowledges that Chris Hindle is of the view that his concerns have been ignored” but claims that “the facts point in the opposite direction”. Mr Hindle, of course, remains suspended from his post at this time.
Mr Butler has said that whilst “Leeds Hospital Alert is entitled to its opinion” it is “the Trust’s view” that “this is misconceived”.
The AGM of Hospital Alert
takes place on Monday January 30th 2006