Kept in the Dark: EDP: Mental health trust rejects efforts to reveal damning report

The EDP reports:

The region’s ailing mental health trust has refused to release a highly-critical report containing the views of some of its staff, claiming that doing so would stop workers from raising issues in future.

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust was placed in special measures in February and is also under investigation by Monitor over a deterioration in its financial performance.

That came on the back of a restructure of the service amidst £44m of savings in the last four years, which union bosses claim has led to a major deterioration in the service the public receives.

Following the launch of a Norwich-based Adult Central Service Line in 2013, which involved a new structure and the loss of jobs, the trust quizzed its staff over the impact the move has had.

Using the Freedom of Information Act, the EDP asked for a copy of the subsequent report titled ‘Understanding the Impact of Trust Service Strategy on staff working in the Central Adult Service Line’, but that has been refused.

It is understood that in the report staff are highly critical of the changes and the serious damage it is having on the people they serve.

Last week the trust agreed steps to improve its poor finances after the regulator for foundation trusts, Monitor, intervened. Bosses also have to find an extra £36m in savings over the next four years.

Yesterday a trust meeting heard how it spent a record high of £2.4m on temporary staff last month. We will be appealing the refusal.

Should the report be released? Write to Letters, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, NR1 1RE or email edpletters@archant.co.uk

EDP reader, dr.zack, writes:

I thought these organisations where public services, if this is the case we have every right to know. I’m sure people names could be with held. This organisation is a disgrace, I had to return from overseas to look after somebody who was meant to be in their care. We got an apology out of them for their failures.

Another EDP reader, AssaRummunInnit?, writes:

Truth often hurts. Had this report contained complimentary content, I am sure that the press would have found no difficulty in obtaining a copy – indeed I suspect that ‘arms would have been twisted’ in order to have it published. It’s time to come clean, warts-and-all. This does not reflect well on the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust – Trust here being the relevant descriptor.

Click on the image below to read Investigations Editor David Powles’ article in full and make your feelings known on the EDP website:

EDP Mental health trust rejects efforts to reveal damning report

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