Richard West says accusations that Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust leaders were warned of failings are 'shocking'

Richard West says accusations that Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust leaders were previously told “dysfunctional” management and procedures should be improved piles more pressure on beleaguered bosses to resign.

His words come as former health and safety practitioner Mike Holder claimed he flagged up serious concerns four years ago over the running of the trust caring for people with mental health problems and learning difficulties.

It comes as inspectors from health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) continue their major probe into the Calmore based organisation just a month after the release of a damning independent report uncovering “serious failings” in how the trust investigated deaths of people in contact with the organisation at least one year previously.

But trust chief executive Katrina Percy says improvements were made in the wake of Mr Holder’s recommendations, which she says are unconnected to the report – commissioned by NHS England and carried out by Mazars.

She has refused to step down in the wake of the scandal.

PICTURED: Trust chair Mike Petter, chief executive Katrina Percy and chief operating officer Dr Chris Gordon

Mr Holder, who was employed as trust interim head of health and safety from November 2011 until February 2012, told the BBC he warned of “dysfunctional” management systems and “haphazard” record-keeping in his resignation letter.

His claims – later set out in a 13-page report – included accusations that incidents were always being reported and those that were often incorrectly graded, downgraded or closed down without action plans completed.

He told the broadcaster: “I think there are missed opportunities and as a result of those missed opportunities, someone has lost their life.

“It’s very, very disappointing, I feel for the families and it is something that should just not have happened.”

Mr West, from Park Gate, whose son David died at 28 following a long history of mental health problems, said: “It's shocking that this was like this all those years ago.

"Its emergence reflects back on the organisation and the leadership on top of everything else that has happened.

“Why didn’t they listen to them and why didn’t they do anything?"

Turning his focus to Ms Percy and senior board members, he said: “They need to use their own judgement and decide whether they are fit and proper people to stand in the light of what has happened. They must look at themselves.”

PICTURED: Richard West

But Ms Percy said: “We welcome and take seriously any concerns highlighted by our staff and anyone who relies on the services we provide.

"All of the issues raised in the memorandum sent more than four years ago were looked into and addressed.

"Those issues in no way relate to the recently published independent review of deaths of people with learning disabilities and mental health needs in contact with Southern Health at least once in the previous year.”

She added that staff are actively urged to report concerns to senior management and added: “In a large NHS organisation that delivers complex care there will always be areas in which we can improve.

“We are constantly striving to find ways to do things better and challenging ourselves to improve services across the whole organisation.”

A HEALTH watchdog has launched a major probe at Southern Health NHS Trust.

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) are visiting the trust’s Tatchbury Mount headquarters and other sites to quiz staff, patients and carers about their experiences.

The “focussed inspection” follows previous inspections in October 2014 and August last year and comes in the wake of publication of the Mazars report.

The report reveals that of the 10,306 deaths between April, 2011 and March, 2015, 722 were categorised as unexpected and only 272 had been investigated.

The visiting teams will focus on improvements being made in reporting of deaths and check on developments being made to the trust’s learning disability and forensic services following the previous reports.

They will consider mental health and learning disability services, including acute mental health inpatient wards, learning disability units, crisis and community mental health teams, child and adolescent inpatient and secure services.

Dr Paul Lelliott, CQC deputy chief inspector of hospitals and lead for mental health said: “During this inspection we will be looking in particular at the trust’s approach to the investigation of deaths – including how it is implementing the action plan required following publication of the independently commissioned report.

“This inspection will have a specific focus but we will return at a later date to look at the other services provided by the trust as part of our continuing programme of inspections of all NHS services.”

He added they would be looking at how families and carers are being involved in patient’s care.

Trust medical director Dr Lesley Stevens, said she welcomed the watchdog’s visit and said: “We are working closely with inspectors, and will continue to do so to ensure we make any improvements that are needed.”

The inspectors will publish a full report of their findings in Spring 2016.

MPs grilled leaders of Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust at top level Parliamentary talks.

Fareham MP Suella Fernandes, picutred, chaired a Parliamentary meeting in London where politicians from constituencies demanded improvements from the organisation’s bosses.

Ms Fernandes, who leads health issues for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Hampshire, was joined by fellow county politicians including Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage and George Hollingbery from the Meon Valley.

Trust chief executive Katrina Percy defended her decision to stay in her post.

But Ms Fernandes warns constituents still question Ms Percy’s leadership and said: “Whilst she assured me that changes have already been made at a senior level, I still have concerns about whether this will be enough to satisfy people who rely on these services.

“Many people are understandably worried by what has come to light, and the trust needs to do more to reassure them that they are taking this matter seriously.

“We cannot lose sight that there are human tragedies at the heart of this. I have several constituents who have lost loved ones whilst under their care and they need to know that someone is taking proper responsibility for the failures identified.

“Whilst it was reassuring to hear that action has now been taken to improve the reporting and investigation of these deaths, it is the overall failure of governance that many will continue to find disturbing.

Ms Percy said “substantial changes” have been made and thanked Ms Fernandes for arranging the meeting, added: “Nothing is more important to us than ensuring the people who rely on our services receive safe, high quality care.

"We will continue to work closely with our commissioners and healthcare regulators to make all necessary improvements.”