From:

Subject:
Date:
To:
Cc:

Minh Alexander MinhAlexander@aol.com

Regulatory investigations triggered by Employment Tribunal findings
6 September 2015 17:58
andrew.hines@nhs.net
bob.alexander@nhs.net

BY#EMAIL
#
To#Mr#Andrew#Hines,#NHS#Trust#Development#Authority,#Associate#Director#of#Delivery#and#Development,#6#September#2015
#
Dear#Mr#Hines,
#
Re#Regulatory#inves0ga0ons#triggered#by#Employment#Tribunal#ndings
#
Thank#you#for#your#very#prompt#leIer#of#27#August#which#was#a#response#to#my#leIer#of#22#August#to#Mr#Bob#Alexander#on#the#above#
maIer.#Both#are#aIached.
#
Obviously,#I#am#disappointed#to#hear#that#TDA#does#not#intend#to#invesOgate#the#governance#issues#raised#by#the#Employment#Tribunal#
(ET)#judgment#against#Croydon#Health#Care#NHS#Trust#because#there#is#an#ongoing#appeal#process.
#
In#a#nutshell,#aTer#Dr#Kevin#BeaIs#paOent#safety#concerns#were#suppressed#by#senior#managers,#paOents#were#put#at#risk#of#harm#and#a#
paOent#died.
#
PaOent#safety#should#be#paramount.#If#there#is#an#alert#of#potenOally#serious#governance#failure#that#impacts#on#paOents,#it#should#be#
promptly#invesOgated#regardless#of#whether#a#parallel#legal#process#conOnues.
#
Arguably,#Croydons#appeal#against#a#damning#ET#judgment#demonstrates#a#signicant#lack#of#insight#and#learning.#Moreover,#it#is#a#
quesOonable#use#of#precious#public#resources#by#the#Trust#board.#These#issues#seem#to#be#addiOonal#reasons#to#invesOgate#rather#than#
not#to#invesOgate.
#
Indeed,#it#is#recognised#that#unreasonable#appeals#are#a#means#by#which#some#Trusts#draw#out#their#punishment#of#whistleblowers,#and#
individual#cases#have#prompted#calls#for#the#invesOgaOon#of#nancial#management#in#such#trusts.#[1]#[2]#I#would#have#hoped#that#TDA#
would#be#cognisant#this#and#would#regard#such#appeals#as#maIers#that#should#be#scruOnised.
#
Regulators#appear#to#have#been#inconsistent#in#their#approaches#at#Croydon.#CQC,#in#contrast#to#TDA#and#despite#the#ET#appeal#process,#
accepted#and#considered#an#FPPR#referral#by#Dr#BeaI.#This#indicates#that#there#is#no#legal#impediment#to#regulators#examining#the#
issues.
#
Therefore:
#
1) I#would#be#very#grateful#if#TDA#would#clarify#whether#its#decision#not#to#invesOgate#maIers#at#Croydon#has#a#legal#basis,#and#
what#this#might#be.
#
2) I#would#be#very#grateful#for#TDAs#response#to#my#general#quesOon:
#
I#would#also#be#grateful#for#general#informa4on#on#how#TDA#will#respond#to#future#ET#ndings,#and#what#criteria#it#
will#use#when#deciding#on#whether#to#inves4gate#NHS#providers#on#the#basis#of#ET#ndings.

will#use#when#deciding#on#whether#to#inves4gate#NHS#providers#on#the#basis#of#ET#ndings.
#
3) I#note#that#CQC#and#TDAs#published#guidance#show#that#both#bodies#have#a#remit#for#FPPR,#and#that#TDA#has#a#remit#for#
ensuring#that#Directors#are#t:
######The#NHS#TDA#is#responsible#for#ensuring#that#all#chairs#and#nonDexecu4ve#directors#of#NHS#trusts#meet#the#tness#test#and#do#not#
meet#any#of#the#unt#criteria.#[3]
######I#would#be#very#grateful#to#know:
#
a) How#in#general#CQC#and#TDA#relate#to#each#other#on#FPPR.
#
b) Whether#it#is#possible#for#TDA#to#undertake#a#review#of#the#tness#of#the#nonbexecuOve#directors#at#Croydon#
with#respect#to#the#appropriateness#of#the#Trust#appeals#against#the#ET#judgment,#and#whether#there#has#been#
appropriate#learning#from#the#ET#judgment.
#
Yours#sincerely,
#
Dr#Minh#Alexander
#
cc#Mr#Bob#Alexander#Chief#ExecuOve#NHS#Trust#Development#Authority
#
[1]#21#Ways#to#Skin#a#Whistleblower.#From#Shoot#the#Messenger#Private#Eye#special#issue#2011.
#
[2]#Uncharitable#Trust.#Private#Eye#April#2015,#regarding#the#case#of#Dr#AntoineIe#Geoghegan#and#Northumberland#Tyne#and#Wear#NHS#
FoundaOon#Trust
#
[3]#Delivering#for#PaOents:#the#2015/16#Accountability#Framework#for#NHS#trust#boards.#NHS#Trust#Development#Authority

From: "Hines Andrew (NHS TRUST DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY)" <andrew.hines@nhs.net>

Subject: Regulatory investigations triggered by Employment Tribunal findings
Date: 27 August 2015 13:49:47 BST
To: "MinhAlexander@aol.com" <MinhAlexander@aol.com>

Dear Dr Alexander
Please find attached a copy of the letter you sent recently to Bob Alexander, CEO NHS Trust
Development Authority and my response.
Kind regards
Andrew
Andrew Hines
Associate Director of Delivery and Development (London)
NHS Trust Development Authority
9th floor, Southside, 105 Victoria St, London SW1E 6QT
andrew.hines@nhs.net
Direct line: 0300 123 2108 (**note new number**)
Mobile: 07500 066585

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