Inquiry into scandal-hit Southern Health NHS trust finishes

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

A public inquiry into the current practices of a scandal-hit NHS trust has finished.

A panel spent six weeks hearing evidence as part its investigation into Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust.

The inquiry took place after failings were found in the trust's care of five patients who died between 2011 and 2015.

The findings of the inquiry are expected to be published in a report by the panel in June.

Chairman of the panel, Nigel Pascoe QC, said the report would focus on the "present position of this trust in specific areas and where, in those areas, there is a need to improve and make specific recommendations".

"We are not here to carry out investigations of past bad experiences," he added.

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

Mr Pascoe thanked witnesses who provided evidence to the inquiry, which has focused on how Southern Health currently handles complaints, communicates with families of patients and carries out investigations.

He remarked the "only serious interruption" of the inquiry was the "deliberate and wicked intimidation of a trust employee".

He added: "We have learnt, to our utter disgust, of further cruel bullying of that witness since she gave evidence. I will not repeat my earlier comments, but where that may be appropriate, the law should take its course."

During the investigation, Mr Pascoe issued two warnings over witness intimidation after the panel had been made aware of "telephone calls, messages and emails" to the female employee, including two "truly shocking messages" after she gave her evidence.

The latest inquiry into the trust followed a written report by Mr Pascoe which found the organisation, one of the largest psychiatric trusts in England, acted with "disturbing insensitivity and a serious lack of proper communication" with family members.

Who are the 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

Some bereaved family members were due to take part in the latest inquiry but decided to withdraw before it started after they claimed to have been "misled, misrepresented and bullied" by the NHS.

The first in a series of reports into Southern Health in 2015 revealed the trust failed to investigate hundreds of deaths. The scandal led to the chief executive and chairman having to resign.

The trust was also fined £2m due to failings in relation to two patients, including 18-year-old Connor Sparrowhawk, who drowned in a bath following an epileptic seizure while under the care of the trust in Oxfordshire.

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust provides services to about 45,000 people across the south of England.