Nottingham MPs meet hospital bosses following trust criticism

Inspectors visited Queen's Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital in June and July

MPs have met with Nottingham hospital bosses following a critical report that highlighted a "culture of bullying" and racial discrimination.

Inspectors recently rated Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) as "requires improvement".

There are also serious concerns about maternity services at the trust, which runs the Queen's Medical Centre and City Hospital.

On Friday, MPs including Darren Henry and Tom Randall met trust bosses.

In a report published earlier this month, Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors found there was a bullying culture across NUH, with many staff too frightened to speak up.

Some cases were found to be "directly attributable to racial discrimination", it said.

The report also highlighted inadequate leadership at the hospitals.

'Incredibly concerned'

The CQC handed the trust 28 points to improve on, including addressing the bullying "across the organisation" and "the disconnect between the board and the wider organisation".

Mr Henry, Conservative MP for Broxtowe, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he was "incredibly concerned" to read the report, adding he would "monitor closely the steps put in place" by the trust.

The report stated a number of the bullying cases were directly attributable to racial discrimination

Mr Randall, Conservative MP for Gedling, added: "It was very concerning to hear of the staff shortages and difficulties that Nottingham University Hospitals Trust has faced, which must be very worrying for patients.

"The hospital has a plan in place to restart treatments and I will be following this very closely."

Previously, the Labour MP for Nottingham South, Lilian Greenwood, said hospital staff "are working hard to provide high standards of care" but were not supported by senior management.

"This is completely unacceptable," she added.

NUH's troubled history

Inspectors also assessed surgery services at Nottingham's City Hospital

• Maternity services at both hospitals are set to be the subject of an independent probe after an investigation found dozens of babies have died or been left with serious injuries.

• In December 2020, the CQC rated the units inadequate, criticising staffing and poor leadership.

• In June 2020, Unison raised a group grievance for 36 employees, most of them nurses, on a QMC coronavirus ward who, the union claimed, had been told their "lives would be made hell" if they complained over conditions.

Dr Neil Pease, from NUH, said: "No-one in our organisation should experience bullying or discrimination of any sort and that is something we are committed to ending."

He added new jobs had been created "to drive and deliver on improving the representation and experience of BME colleagues".