Criticism of bosses at Norfolk and Suffolk mental health trust allegedly removed from deaths report
A highly critical report released earlier this year looked into the patient deaths at the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT)
Last updated 29th Aug 2023
It's alleged a highly critical report into deaths at the trust that runs mental health services in Norfolk and Suffolk earlier this year was watered down, to remove criticism of management.
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.
However, reporting by the BBC now alleges that earlier drafts of the report were much more critical of management at NSFT.
Campaigners have now called for earlier versions of the report to be released in the interests of transparency.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Rob Behrens has also raised concerns about the allegations.
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.
"After the initial draft the engagement team at the Trust changed, who then provided further information around controls and internal processes of which we were previously unaware. Whilst the overall findings of the report did not change, the new evidence did adjust our assessment of significance in some areas.
"In addition, wording changed in some areas to highlight areas of good practice that were brought to our attention and which we believed could be broadened out to help resolve issues."
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.
“We are realistic that this will take time. We discuss the challenges we face openly, including at our public board meetings, and have a significant focus on issues such as improving our organisation’s culture, increasing capacity to treat more people who need mental health services, and seeking to more consistently deliver high standards of care.
“We have delivered significant improvements for our service users over the past year, as evidenced by our latest inspection from the Care Quality Commission. However, we recognise that there is a long way to go. “