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University Hospitals Birmingham looks after four hospitals
An NHS trust under fire has insisted an inquiry into its culture be independent after a survey suggested some staff had “no faith” in the inquiry.
The Integrated Care Board (ICB) is investigating the complaints against the University Hospitals Birmingham Trust.
The survey, completed by 115 of the 1,200 consultants, followed a BBC Newsnight investigation into the trust.
An ICB spokesman said it was critical that it act in the interest of patients, the public and staff.
The trust said it had 24,000 employees and more than 3,500 doctors, adding that it was important to consider whether the survey was representative of all its employees.
‘A bit like the mafia’
Three major reviews were released after whistleblowers alleged they were punished by the trust’s management for raising security concerns, with a whistleblower saying the trust was “a bit like the mob”.
Other staff concerns included a shortage of nurses and a lack of communication, which caused some hematology patients to die without receiving treatment, an investigation found.
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MP Preet Gill wrote to the health secretary to demand a public inquiry
Respondents to the small survey, conducted by Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull Medical Committee Chairman Habib Rahman, were consultants primarily from Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals.
Of those who responded, 79% believed the BBC’s description of a “culture of fear” was accurate, with 76% saying they had been bullied or harassed or knew someone who had.
Meanwhile, 62% said that problems in hospitals were not handled correctly, and 93% reported low morale.
Three of the whistleblowers, Manos Nikolousis, Tristan Reuser and John Watkinson, said they had “serious concerns” about the ICB’s review.
“We are concerned that a review by an NHS member, overseen by NHS bodies with conflicts of interest, is woefully inadequate for the task and will seriously fail patients and staff alike,” they added.
The ICB said the inquiry remained independent and stressed that it would continue to ensure the review addresses the concerns.
“We must listen to staff and ensure that as a system we will work to address their concerns,” he added.
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