Norfolk County Council to discuss report into mental health trust

Norfolk County Council said it wanted to discuss the issues raised in the BBC's story at a meeting on 14 September

A council said it would examine "issues" raised by the BBC about a report into a mental health trust.

The first draft of an auditor's report into how Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust mismanaged mortality figures was edited to remove criticism of its leadership, the BBC found.

Norfolk County Council said it would discuss the issues at its Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee next month.

The trust and its auditors said the changes were due to fact-checking.

The mental health trust (NSFT) said it requested an independent report, which was commissioned by NHS integrated care boards covering Norfolk and Suffolk and was published by auditors Grant Thornton.

Fran Whymark, chairman of the committee at the Conservative-run council, said he was "very concerned to learn about the issues raised" in the BBC's story, which ran on BBC Two's Newsnight and on Look East.

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He said: "Following these tragic deaths, we all need to have full confidence that NSFT will be open about the lessons learnt and that it will take the right action.

"At the committee meeting, I expect to hear from the chief executive about what has been done and what will be done, to address the culture which has allowed this to happen.

"This is an opportunity for NSFT to be open and honest about the long term failings which have had such a devastating impact on residents in Norfolk and Suffolk.

"The learning from the [Grant Thornton] report will be worthless if there is no institutional change, from board level down."

NSFT chief executive Stuart Richardson, who will attend the county council committee meeting, previously said "we have been open and honest"

NSFT has been approached to comment on Ms Whymark's statement.

Stuart Richardson, NSFT's chief executive officer, told the BBC on Tuesday: "We have been open and honest about the failings highlighted in this report, and are committed to bringing about the improvements that our service users and staff deserve."

The county council's Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee meets on 14 September at 10:00 BST.

NSFT confirmed Mr Richardson will attend the meeting and an update will be provided.

The Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust runs mental health wards at hospital sites across the two counties, and at its Hellesdon Hospital headquarters in Norwich

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