The Twelve Days of Christmas : Day Ten – Medicated Soap

Just before Christmas we were asking why there hadn’t been an announcement about the new chair of Wirral University Teaching Hospital (WUTH) in our post Wirral University Teaching Hospital : Imagine…there’s still no announcement on appointment of Chairman.

However it would appear that we have an explanation for the ongoing WUTH soap opera from a well placed source who tells us :

“NHS Improvement were less than chuffed with the process for appointing a new chair of the board.  The recent attempt produced two applications: from Sir Diddy (David Henshaw) and someone else who stood no chance. NHS Improvement demanded a readvertisement of the job.  Applications closed on 19^th December.”  

We’ll keep you posted on further developments…

Marmalizing the Bullies : St Frank or Sir Diddy ?

Let the marmalization commence.

The previously leaked report written by ‘experienced independent investigator’ Carole Taylor Browne that prompted the departure of Wirral University Teaching Hospital (WUTH) chair Michael Carr was officially published today. Read full report here : NHSI WUTH Final report

Ms Taylor-Brown has her own consultancy specialising in ‘Executive and Group coaching, Workplace Investigation and Mediation’ called Tamarix People which sounds like a John Wyndham novel or interplanetary baddies in an episode of Dr Who. Read more here: Tamarix People

However it would appear that essentially Taylor-Brown is your classic ex-NHS poacher turned gamekeeper.  We’re not sure her report tells us anything we didn’t already know about the bullying culture (particularly at Arrowe Park Hospital). Read more here : WUTH – Carr Crash OUT, Sir Diddy IN

However our interest in the story was reignited with the inevitable sneering soundbites from Birkenhead MP Frank Field on the appointment by NHS Improvement of new troubleshooting chair Sir ‘Diddy’ David Henshaw.

“At last we have a proper soul-searching report on Arrowe Park which has been many a year coming. I’ve been campaigning for years for root and branch reform at Arrowe Park. Had MPs been consulted on a new interim Chair, we would not have advised in favour of Sir David Henshaw. We badly need an interim Chair who has a track record of opposing and dealing effectively with bullying and poor behaviour.I will be asking the Secretary of State to appoint such a Chair. How will the hospital now deal with the bullies? I have been given a list of names, who maybe account for only some of the bullies, but we need a Chair in whom those members of staff who have been bullied can trust. I call again for one of the companies dealing with this all the time to come in as an independent body to kick-start a recovery in standards”.

Whilst we agree with Frankenfield on one thing ( that’s a first !) – and that is Sir Diddy is definitely not the man for this particular job – we had to laugh at his whining that if he (and presumably other Wirral MPs ) had been ‘consulted’ on the Sir Diddy appointment that it would not have got their seal of approval. Sorry to have to tell you sweetheart this ain’t Wirral Council – not everything gets run past you first!

As for Field’s ‘Bully List’ – perhaps we should start one up with names of bullies ,both officers and councillors , past and present  ,  who have  been responsible for destroying people’s lives and careers at Wirral Council.  Then we can send it to him and wait for him to tell us with an innocent face that he doesn’t interfere in Wirral Council business!

WUTH – Carr Crash OUT, Sir Diddy IN

Here follows a further couple of more usual leaks from Wirral University Teaching Hospital (aka Arrowe Park & Clatterbridge hospitals) following yesterday’s report of the big water leak at APH:

I thought you would be interested in the fact that Michael Carr has resigned this week as Chairman of Wirral University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.It is likely that NHS Improvement advised him to stand down, following the resignation of David Allison, CEO.The Trust can only benefit from the replacement of both.

It comes as no surprise that Michael Carr the chair of WUTH hospital has ‘quit’ after a leaked report exposed widespread bullying at APH.

Carr Quits

This leaked report highlighted claims of “totally unacceptable” behaviour, evidence of “tribal divisions” and junior staff “set up to fail”. As we’ve previously reported regulator NHS Improvement is investigating “cultural, behavioural and governance issues” at WUTH .Of course this is all very familiar to Wirral Leaks readers as another source tells us :

It’s hellish in Arrowe (Park Hospital) , same problem as the Council, drone management and bullying….

Read more here :

WUTH : Leaks to Cascade

Advent Farewell 22 : WUTH – less this Christmas

So what does come as a surprise is that the appalling NHS Improvement – the expression ‘physician heal thyself’ comes to mind – has appointed another notorious bully ‘Sir’ Diddy David Henshaw as the interim chair!

Or perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise – have you noticed how the likes of Sir Diddy always find another  highly remunerated ride on the public sector merry go round after they’ve ‘retired’ with a bumper cheque ? Sir Diddy has previously ‘served’ as CEO of Liverpool and Knowsley Councils and left a trail of controversy in his wake.

You can do you own internet searches on this piece of work – but try this for starters : Henshaw’s Evil Cabal

One of the glowing eulogies comes from current Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Jane Kennedy : “A man in whom I have no confidence and for whom I have no respect” – and that’s one of the kinder comments.

Inevitably late to the part comes along Frank Field ,wading in where he’s not wanted. Frankenfield wants to “ensure commissioners are sent in both to protect those staff providing an excellent service and with the instructions to root out the thugs and the bullies” : NHS Thugs

The hypocrisy on display here – even for Frankenfield – is absolutely staggering. This is the man who was instrumental in PREVENTING commissioners being sent in to Wirral Council in 2012 when a widespread and corrosive bullying culture was exposed. No consideration of the need to protect council staff or attempts to root out the thugs and bullies then was there ? Could it have been that Frankenfield  knew that some of the most prominent  ‘thugs’ and ‘bullies’ were in the local Labour group -and are still in positions of power?

Is it any wonder the inglorious legacy of this duplicity is that we now discover mental health sick days among Wirral Council staff is at an  eight year high. An ‘Absence Management’ report to be discussed at next weeks Employment and Appointments Committee states:

“A range of initiatives including a focus on mental health support are in place.These activities include targeted approaches for specific areas and universal programmes for all staff with an ethos to support all employees across the organisation.Monitoring and oversight has been further developed to ensure accountability at all organisational levels is in place.”

As you can tell from this anodyne management speak Wirral Council remains in denial it has a bullying culture. Until it does – it will remain a sick organisation.  Wirral University Teaching Hospital bosses and regulators take heed.

Dispatches from Dystopia

You do insist on sending us news about our former domicile. But where else would you go for solace from the dark foreboding place we know as the Wirral peninsula?

Whilst we appreciate we’ve found refuge far from the madding crowd you poor people still have to endure the madness. Nevertheless we promise you (and ourselves) that we will try and make sense of it all from a sunbed overlooking the Med and living the life of a flâneur – it’s a hard life but someone’s got to do it (as long as it’s not too much effort.)

However we tell you now you won’t get a look in once the temperature rises. So get your grievances and observations in before it’s too late!

First up we have a number of comments on the unfolding Wirral University Teaching Hospital  (WUTH) story (not that you’d know there was a story from perusing the local press) . Whilst it was obvious to us and others that there was a mahoosive problem years ago it obviously went ignored by senior management and regulators – because as we know that’s what they do. Denial may be pathological but for some but for others it’s a career path.

Wirral University Teaching Hospital – Leaks to Cascade

Sadly , it must be bittersweet for some of our contributors who have been ousted from their roles – be it nurses or trustees – because they dared to speak truth to power ( to the likes of former WUTH CEO Len Richards) and now find themselves belatedly vindicated only when their careers and livelihoods have been trashed. Meanwhile the bullies and incompetents go on to find themselves a lucrative niche elsewhere . Talking of which why do we keep coming across the name Linda Birch/Bryceland?

Meanwhile don’t raise your hopes of any improvement as NHS Improvement (!) are clearly in denial about the historical concerns that led to the current crisis as they have written to a prominent complainant and explained that cultural,behavioural and governance issues have seemingly sprung up from nowhere  :

Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding Wirral University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Earlier this month we announced that Carole Taylor Brown will oversee the independent investigation into Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The investigation follows a number of allegations made to NHS Improvement about cultural, behavioural and governance issues at the trust, as well as concerns about the handling of a recent disciplinary case involving allegations of sexual misconduct. 

 The investigation will:

(i) investigate concerns raised by members of trust staff in late 2017 with NHS Improvement regarding cultural, behavioural and governance issues

(ii) review the trust’s handling of a recent disciplinary case involving allegations of sexual misconduct; and 

(iii) consider NHS Improvements’ response to the concerns raised with it per (i) above

Meanwhile we’ve had a message about Wirral Council from Frankie . Not that one, obviously – he’s got the starving mites to look after like a low rent St Francis of Assisi . This particular Frankie says:

I know you’ve moved away and hope your enjoying being away from the rat race…. just to give you an update looks like the clowncil are about to appoint the partner this being MUSE who seem to be the front runner in the shenanigans.

Loves ya leaky
Frankie

MUSE

Wirral Council placing public assets and development programmes under the control of a private company –  what could possibly go wrong?  Just don’t mention Carillion !

 

 

Wirral University Teaching Hospital – Leaks to Cascade

 

 

Lessons have been learned ? – A Wirral Leaks picture from our January 2014 story GREEN LEAVES would suggest not. If leaked documents had not been sent to Health Service Journal would bullying and management concerns ever been made public?

Leaked email from Wirral’s largest employer which appears to confirm that it suffering from the same toxic culture that afflicts Wirral’s second largest employer. The media exposure referred to are articles published in Health Service Journal and not the local press.

From: Communications (Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust) Sent: 12 January 2018 17:05 Subject: FOR INFORMATION: Health Service Journal (HSJ) media exposure Message sent on behalf of Dr Susan Gilby, Medical Director Please cascade to those not on NHS Mail Dear Colleagues, As my executive colleague, David Jago highlighted in his global communication today (issued at 13:12), I would like to further update you on likely media exposure following this matter. Many of you keep up-to-date on social media and via the local press, however for those that do not, I felt it was only right to share with you an article that has today (Friday) appeared on Twitter and online in the Health Service Journal (HSJ). Upon joining the Trust early last year as Medical Director, I requested that a medical staff engagement survey was carried out as I felt there was a widespread perception of ‘disconnect’ between management and medical staff. As a result of my early observations, it was clear that this benchmarking exercise, with a strong evidence base, would enable the Board to support a strategy for cultural change within the organisation. On behalf of the Executive team, I would like to say that the Trust is extremely grateful to staff that have raised concerns and we deeply regret any failures to identify and effectively deal with some of these highlighted attitudes and behaviours that this survey has uncovered. It is my intention to now plan and commission an external cultural change programme which will help address the root causes of unacceptable behaviours and embed the positive behaviours that staff would expect to consistently exhibit and witness. In the spirit of openness and transparency, I will keep you all fully informed on its progress and will feedback its findings later in the year. For colleagues not on social media, or who do not follow the press, I have placed below the full HSJ article in order to prevent rumour and inaccuracy. I would like to take this opportunity to thank colleagues for showing great and ongoing understanding to the Executive and Senior team during this period of challenge and I look forward to working with you all on our journey towards quality improvement. Kind regards, Dr Susan Gilby Medical Director HSJ article published 12/01/2018: Leaked documents reveal bullying and management concerns at trust Wirral University Teaching Hospital Foundation Trust  doctors reported high levels of bullying and “disconnect” from management, according to documents leaked to HSJ. They resonate with serious concerns raised about management and culture at the trust that were reported by several of the trust’s executive directors to regulators, and revealed by HSJ, last month. Documents seen by HSJ also allege former chief executive David Allison, who left suddenly in December, dismissed a proposal to appoint clinical leaders, saying it would happen “over my dead body”. Trust medical director Susan Gilby raised the results of a first medical staff engagement survey at a private board meeting in summer last year. The survey reported “a continuing widespread perception of ‘disconnect’ between management and medical staff”. Results of a second survey of 95 doctors, carried out in March 2017 and also leaked to HSJ, revealed 43 per cent of respondents said they had experienced harassment, bullying or abuse in the previous 12 months. A report on the findings said “most of [this] was from managers”. Only a third of doctors in this survey said they felt able to make improvements happen in their area of work. Changes suggested by doctors included improving culture and behaviours of managers towards doctors. Minutes of three trust executives’ meeting with NHS Improvement in November show they raised the survey and told the regulator they “felt the organisation had a culture that prohibits raising concerns as there was a lack of transparency and honesty when difficult issues are raised”. The same minutes said: “One example cited [of poor culture] was the recent poor results from the medical engagement scale which in the view of the MES team were extremely poor. “The [medical director] raised this with the CEO and chair [Michael Carr] and at private board but did not receive support from the CEO to address the concerns. “He was heard to say to the company secretary that the doctors would be leads of their services ‘over my dead body’. The minutes of the private board meeting discussion on this topic did not adequately reflect the discussion. “In the pre-meet before the subsequent [public] board meeting the MD was told by the CEO not to go into detail in addressing the required amendments [to minutes of the private board].” According to the survey results of more than 100 doctors, the trust scored among the lowest for medical engagement of 110 NHS trusts with which it was compared. The report on the second survey, passed to HSJ by a member of staff, concluded: “The views of medical staff in Wirral University Teaching Hospital Foundation Trust suggest a general perception of very low levels of medical engagement compared to the medical engagement norms for NHS trusts.” It pointed out that the trust’s results had deteriorated from an earlier survey in 2012 warning: “Medical engagement is not significantly improving and in some areas appears to be getting worse. The results suggest a continuing widespread perception of ‘disconnect’ between management and medical staff characterised by insufficient contact and authentic communication.” The report states that, comparing the 2017 to 2012 results, the survey showed a 29 per cent decrease in staff feeling they were involved in decision making and a 21 per cent fall in staff feeling valued and empowered. The report said there was a “consistent divide” between managers and doctors with 63 per cent of managers saying they work closely with doctors compared to just 12 per cent of medical staff. In total, 70 per cent of managers agreed that senior management actively encouraged innovative thinking by medical staff compared with just 7 per cent of doctors. Only 13 per cent of medical staff said they could trust non-medical managers to take their opinions on board. The report said: “Clearly, many members of medical staff feel that there is little opportunity to talk freely with management about future plans and consequently their ideas and opinions are either not taken seriously or simply ignored by management staff… “The results reveal a consistent tendency for managers to overestimate medical engagement and this over-optimistic perception may well indicate that managers are far from fully aware of the working challenges that medical staff face, and do not take the medical engagement as seriously as they might.” In a statement to HSJ, Susan Gilby, the trust’s medical director, said: “As a result of my early observations upon joining the trust last year, a survey around clinical leadership and collaborative working was commissioned. It was felt that this benchmarking exercise, with a strong evidence base, would enable the board to support a strategy for cultural change within the organisation. “The trust is hugely grateful to staff that have raised concerns around bullying and harassment and we deeply regret any failures to identify and effectively deal with some of these highlighted attitudes and behaviours. “As an executive team, we wish to make it clear that there is no place for such attitudes and behaviours in the trust and we can only apologise to staff that may have experienced this culture.” She said the trust now planned to commission an external cultural change programme to help address “the root causes of unacceptable behaviours and to embed the positive behaviours that staff would expect to consistently exhibit and witness”. NHS Improvement has previously said it will launch an investigation into the concerns raised about the trust.