The Report of MY OWN

Morecambe Bay Investigation

“ICEBERG! DEAD AHEAD!”

Culture Change

at

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust?

Delay, Defend, Deny

• I reported a nurse who admitted switching off prescribed fluid infusions, preventing administration to poorly dependent patients. • The report was unacknowledged, unactioned, date-stamped and filed.

• I reported wages fraud. • The Trust decided that “although it did appear to be fraudulent, the amount was not worth pursuing”.

• I reported an improper procedure carried out on a patient which caused injury and life was put at risk. • The report was unacknowledged and not investigated.

• I had two Formal Grievances upheld. • The Trust used trickery and lies to avoid Employment Tribunal penalties.

• I submitted applications for Renewal of my Nurse Registration. • The Trust “lost” my applications…TWICE…I lost my Registration.

• The Trust admitted causing me a work-related stress injury.

• The Trust cancelled my Temporary Injury Allowance without applying for Permanent Injury Benefit.

• The Trust made insinuations about my mental health, despite having already admitted responsibility for my condition.

• They insisted that I attend Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, then presented the transcript of my confidential CBT sessions to Employment Tribunal as evidence.

• I requested ill-health retirement on resignation. • The Trust assured me that my pension was being set up on ill-health grounds but failed to do so.

• The Trust eventually (9 years late) agreed that they ought to investigate one concern…but were unable as one involved was seriously ill ‘on her death-bed’. • 9 months later, that same nurse was found to be living independently and able to answer questions.

• The Trust agreed to investigate another concern (7 years late). • The Trust fell silent on the subject for 9 months.

• I contacted CQC. • The Trust immediately claimed to have completed investigation 6 months earlier.

• I asked for a copy of results. • The Trust ignored the request.

• I gave evidence to Morecambe Bay Investigation. • Trust suddenly “anxious to meet to share findings of investigation”.

• My story was published in a national newspaper. • Trust respond claiming “the lack of detailed evidence available to us at this time means we are unable, so many years later, to substantiate the issues he raised.”…”our Trust, like many across the country, has worked hard to tighten its whistleblowing policies, and has seen a sea-change in the way it responds to and investigates staff concerns.”

Since telling the world that there can be no investigation findings, “unable, so many years later, to substantiate the issues he raised“, the Trust has made repeated invitations to meet me to “share” the non-existent findings.

So was there an investigation… with findings that could be shared …or not?

No “sea-change” there then? But perhaps we can hope that the tide is going out!

“Today, the name of Morecambe Bay has been added to a roll of dishonoured NHS names that stretches from Ely Hospital to Mid Staffordshire.”…Report of The Morecambe Bay Investigation published 3rd March 2015