Southern Health NHS trust probe 'witness intimidation indefensible'

(L-R) David West, Robert Small, Marion Munns, Edward Hartley and Jo Deering died in the care of Southern Health Foundation Trust

The chairman of a panel investigating an NHS trust has said the intimidation of a witness who gave evidence was "deeply disturbing" and "indefensible".

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust is being investigated after failures in its care of five patients who died between 2011 and 2015.

Nigel Pascoe QC issued his second warning over witness intimidation after a woman said she had been targeted.

He said the public would be "outraged by such cruel and calculated pressure".

Mr Pascoe told the inquiry earlier that the panel had been made aware of "telephone calls, messages and emails" to the trust employee, including two "truly shocking messages" after she gave her evidence.

He said the panel was "appalled to hear of the consequential effect on the health and wellbeing" of the witness, who told the inquiry she had been intimidated by "members of the public".

Nigel Pascoe QC is leading the inquiry into Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust

"Those messages, sent to a witness, are totally unacceptable, damaging and deeply disturbing," Mr Pascoe said.

"They appear to have been targeted both to intimidate and to demean the recipient. That is indefensible."

Mr Pascoe said they came from three Twitter accounts.

The inquiry is probing how Southern Health currently handles complaints, communicates with families of patients, and carries out investigations.

It follows a report by Mr Pascoe that found the trust acted with "disturbing insensitivity and a serious lack of proper communication" to family members.

Who are the five families?

• Maureen Rickman, sister of Jo Deering, 52, from New Milton, Hampshire, who died in 2011

• Diane Small, mother of Robert Small, 28, from Fareham, Hampshire, who died in 2012

• Richard West, father of David West, 28, from Southampton, who died in 2013

• Ian and Jane Hartley, parents of Edward Hartley, 18, from Wickham, Hampshire, who died in 2014

• Angie Mote and Kim Vella, daughters of Marion Munns, 74, from Southampton, who died in 2015

Mr Pascoe previously issued a warning over witness intimidation and said attempts to "dissuade" a witness from giving evidence could amount to an "attempt to pervert the course of justice".

The panel has not said whether matters had been reported to the police.

'Deeply indebted to witness'

Mr Pascoe said the panel was "deeply indebted" to the witness targeted for her "considerable courage in speaking out about the intimidation she has received".

"We have been very concerned to learn of the distress which has been caused to her and wish her a full and swift recovery," he added.

Giving evidence to the inquiry about the trust's communication polices, another witness, Sara Courtney, said when she joined the trust seven and a half years ago teams were "quite fearful", as some had experience of "being blamed" when "things had gone wrong".

The deputy director of nursing and clinical lead for quality improvement said leading up to 2018, the trust was "quite siloed in our thinking" but added since then there had been "an absolute shift in the way people are thinking".

"We have got a five-year strategy and plan to involve 6,000 staff," she said, adding: "We are not at the end of that journey yet."

The inquiry continues.