Concerns over leadership at mental health trust

Inspectors said the trust must improve after a visit last summer

An independent investigation into the culture at an NHS mental health trust has found distrust among staff at all levels and concerns over leadership.

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust commissioned a report in the hope of developing more collaborative relationships between doctors and the trust board following a vote of no confidence in management in December last year.

Initial findings have also highlighted poor governance and communications within the organisation.

The trust said it was committed to working with staff to address areas identified for improvement.

Seventeen people have been interviewed so far as part of the investigation by Xytal, an organisation that said it supported healthcare teams to become more efficient, with nine responses to a survey also considered.

Findings revealed there was distrust at all levels within the organisation, including between the executives and the board of directors; executives and senior medical staff; senior medical staff and other medical staff; and senior medical staff and operational management.

The breakdown among staff followed concerns over the way medical director, Mark Weaver, had been asked to step down and deputy medical director, Sharada Abilash, not being asked to take over while due process occurred.

Consultants went on to vote in favour of two statements expressing no confidence in the board's handling of the replacement of the senior medical team and the potential impact of the process on the quality and safety of patient care.

The trust has also been told to improve by the Care Quality Commission following several patient safety incidents last year.

Xytal has recommended that there should be team coaching for the board and for executives and the medical advisory committee.

It offered seven routes that the trust could take to build relationships.

The trust said: "We appreciate the valuable insights provided by the Xytal report, which have been shared with our Medical Advisory Board, and are committed to working together to address the areas identified for improvement.

"In collaboration with our senior medical colleagues, we’ve already begun implementing key actions to address these recommendations and drive continuous progress.

"Our whole leadership team is dedicated to enhancing care quality, supporting our staff, and maintaining the highest standards of transparency and governance.”

Last month, NHS England and local Integrated Care Board (ICB) commissioners also visited the mental health trust to ask staff about concerns over safety, communication, and culture.

Conversations led by the bodies are continuing with staff groups and once that process is concluded and findings reviewed, the response of NHS England and the ICB is to be shared with the trust.