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A review into University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has found consistent reports of a “toxic and bullying” environment.
NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board published the first of three reviews commissioned following concerns raised in December 2022 in a BBC Newsnight report relating to patient safety, leadership, culture and governance.
The first independent review was overseen by experienced senior independent clinician, Professor Mike Bewick, former NHS England Deputy Medical Director. This will be followed by a Well-Led review of leadership and governance in conjunction with NHS England. Finally, there will be a report on culture – commissioned externally by UHB’s Interim Chair, incorporating findings from above.
The Bewick review found the Trust remains safe and patients and service users should continue to access care as needed with confidence. However, the review found a number of areas of concern, particularly with regards to governance and leadership, culture and staff welfare and has made a series of recommendations for further action.
The trust is responsible for Queen Elizabeth (QE), Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals.
Disturbed by the consistent reporting of bullying
Professor Mike Bewick, Lead Reviewer, said: “Our rapid review has found that services at University Hospitals Birmingham are safe and patients should be confident when using them. We have, however, confirmed some, but not all, of the concerns made on the Newsnight programme in December of last year. In response to their concerns and those raised by Healthwatch, Preet Gill and many other individuals who have come forward, we have made several recommendations for further investigation and action.
“We have been disturbed by the consistent reporting of a bullying culture at the Trust and look forward to the next phase of the review where staff and patients will have the opportunity to speak freely and confidentially about their concerns. I know that Dame Yve Buckland, the Interim Chair at UHB, is already addressing these concerns and I thank her for her support during our review.”
The report also examined how leadership reacted to the death of Dr Vaish Kumar, 35, a junior doctor at the QE Hospital who left a suicide note blaming her death entirely on the place where she worked. It cited anger from staff that senior leadership did not attend her funeral.
It recommended that in light of the tragic death by suicide of Dr Kumar, the Trust together with Health Education England should review the processes to support doctors in training who are concerned about their mental health, ability to speak up freely about concerns with colleagues and a clear message that they will be listened to.
The report also recommended that the Trust commissions a partner to deliver awareness training on how to identify issues of bullying, coercion, intimidation and misogyny.
Jonathan Brotherton, Chief Executive at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, who took over three months ago, said: “Patients can continue to be confident that the care and treatment provided at our hospitals is safe. We are pleased that Prof Bewick’s overall view ‘is that the Trust is a safe place to receive care’.
“We fully accept his recommendations and welcome the additional assurance that has been asked for through further independent oversight. There are a number of significant concerns that we need to, and have started to, address; we will continue to learn from the past, as we move forward.
“We want to develop a positive, inclusive work environment where people want to come to work, in a place that they are proud to work in, to do their very best for our patients. While we will not be able to fix things as quickly as I would like, we do need to do it as quickly as possible, for the benefit of patients and staff; I am committed to ensuring this happens. We must now focus on continuing to provide the best possible patient care, building a values-led culture and supporting our incredible colleagues.”
The next stages of the Patient Safety review will confront the persisting underlying cultural and organisational issues and run alongside. This will run alongside the well-led and culture reviews with an aim of reporting in summer 2023.