Norfolk County Council to probe allegations report into mental health trust 'watered down'

The local authority is to look into claims a highly critical report released into the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) was toned down

NSFT is based at Hellesdon Hospital near Norwich
Author: Matt SoanesPublished 30th Aug 2023
Last updated 30th Aug 2023

Norfolk County Council says it's going to look into allegations a highly critical report into patient deaths at a local mental trust was 'watered down' before its release.

The report, put together by accountancy firm Grant Thornton and released in June, found the trust had lost track of the number of deaths of patients either under or formerly under its care.

Reporting by the BBC yesterday alleged that earlier drafts of the report were much more critical of management at NSFT.

Councillor Fran Whymark, chair of Norfolk Council's health overview and scrutiny committee, said: “I am very concerned to learn about the issues raised in the BBC reporting on NSFT today."

"Following these tragic deaths, we all need to have full confidence that NSFT will be open about the lessons learnt and that it will take the right action.

"My committee will be looking into the issues, when it meets on 14 September.

“At the committee meeting, I expect to hear from the chief executive about what has been done and what will be done, to address the culture which has allowed this to happen.

“This is an opportunity for NSFT to be open and honest about the long term failings which have had such a devastating impact on residents in Norfolk and Suffolk.

“The learning from the report will be worthless if there is no institutional change, from board level down.”

In response to reporting yesterday, a spokesperson for Grant Thornton said: “Our final report and the conclusions within it provide transparency and clarity on the long-standing historical concerns raised about the Trust’s reporting."

"We take professional pride that our work has played a part in bringing attention to these issues and we hope our work will contribute to the improvement of services for the people of Norfolk and Suffolk.

“It is standard practice to share an initial draft of a report to ensure it is a fair and accurate reflection of the processes reviewed, and that the findings from the report result in improvement and change where it is required.

"It is not uncommon for findings and language to be refined before being finalised."

Stuart Richardson, Chief Executive Officer at NSFT, said: “We are committed to listening to our staff and acting on what they tell us."

"Over the last year we have introduced safer ways of working and supported colleagues to raise concerns or ask questions so that we can address and help resolve them at the time, including introducing an independent Freedom to Speak Up Guardian service that is available 24/7.

“Like many specialist mental health organisations, we have continued to see significant and sustained demand for our services over recent years.

“We are working with system partners in Norfolk and Suffolk to transform the way mental healthcare and wellbeing support is provided and to support the long-term sustainability and improvement of these services. We have a strong commitment from our partners who are prioritising mental health.

“We recognise the organisation has been challenged for a number of years but we are focused on making improvements in a sustainable way by working on the root causes of issues, not just the symptoms."

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