The police have been asked to investigate evidence that the NHS watchdog accused of a cover-up over a maternity deaths scandal prevented damning emails from coming to light.
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| Left to right: CQC Chief Executive David Behan, Chair David Prior and Sterl Greenhalgh answer questions from Health Select Committee in the House of Commons |
Last month an independent report accused former senior executives at the Care Quality Commission of ordering the deletion of a critical document which outlined its failures to prevent the scandal.
But yesterday it emerged that emails which showed that other CQC managers were aware in January 2010 of “systemic” problems at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Foundation trust, yet wanted to give it a clean bill of health, were never seen by the firm hired to investigate CQC’s behaviour.
But yesterday it emerged that emails which showed that other CQC managers were aware in January 2010 of “systemic” problems at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Foundation trust, yet wanted to give it a clean bill of health, were never seen by the firm hired to investigate CQC’s behaviour.
They were denied access to the information because CQC officials claimed that just one year’s emails were available, when in fact they were stored for six years.
In the same correspondence - described by MPs yesterday as “disturbing,” - regional officials decided to tone down the language describing problems at the trust, in response to a media query, and cited media attention as a reason to monitor the hospital.
The disclosures came as ministers told The Daily Telegraph that the current regulatory system is “completely flawed” - and promised changes which will mean directors of hospitals and care homes can face criminal prosecution and unlimited fines if patients are neglected or abused.
Last summer, after being appointed as CQC’s new chief executive, David Behan asked the firm Grant Thornton to examine concerns about its failure to prevent the scandal.
Its report, published last month, accused former chief executive Cynthia Bower, her deputy Jill Finney and media manager Anna Jefferson of a cover-up, in suppressing damaging evidence about the regulator’s failures, which all three deny.
But at a hearing of the Commons Health Select Committee yesterday, Sterl Greenhalgh, one of the firm’s partners said the company was “surprised” to be told by CQC officials that their investigation could only access one year’s emails.
It later emerged - after the report had been published - that this information was “inaccurate,” he said.
This meant that investigators not only missed correspondence between regional officials, which was uncovered by James Titcombe, whose baby son Joshua died in 2008, but could have missed many more disclosures about the scale of the cover-up, MPs said.
John Woodcock, MP for Barrow, has written to the Metropolitan Police, which is currently considering whether to launch a criminal investigation, asking them to examine the latest revelations.
He said: “If the health watchdog gave false information to the independent inquiry that prevented damning emails coming to light, those responsible could be criminally liable.
“The new managers at the CQC say they want to be more open but this latest scandal happened on their watch - they have serious questions to answer.”
Charlotte Leslie, a Conservative MP on the committee, said the disclosures in the uncovered emails were “disturbing”.
She said it was of “significant concern” that MPs were yesterday examining an email which “puts an additional different light on the nature and extent of the cover-up,” and had not been seen by investigators, raising the question of what else had been missed.
David Prior, the watchdog’s chairman, appointed earlier this year, said the organisation had been guilty of a culture of “incompetence, complacency, dysfunction, suppression and oppression.”
A spokesman for Grant Thornton said the firm had access to “part, but not all of the email chain referred to” by Ms Leslie during the hearings, and specifically did not have sight of the email which discussed registering the maternity unit without conditions.
A spokesman for CQC said that although Grant Thornton was told that emails older than a year could not be retrieved via their IT back-up systems, they were able to access any correspondence stored under its records policy.
Last night Norman Lamb, the care minister, said the current system of regualation was “completely flawed” and will be overhauled.
Directors of hospitals and care homes where patients are neglected or abused will face criminal prosecution and unlimited fines, under government plans.
Mr Lamb said the Government intends to introduce a “fit and proper person” test to ensure all NHS and care home directors are trustworthy and not ripping off patients, residents or their families.
Under a consultation launched on Thursday, the CQC will be given new powers to prosecute NHS directors for such failings.
The CQC will also be able to order the removal of any director of a hospital or care home who fails basic background checks about their honesty, integrity and competence.
Mr Lamb said: “Despite all the things we have heard about in the health and care sector over the last few of years, there hasn’t been a single prosecution by the CQC under the powers that they have,” he said.
The consultation forms part of the government’s response to the scandals at Winterbourne View care home in Bristol, where patients with learning disabilities suffered abuse, and the deaths of up to 1,200 patients at Mid Staffordshire NHS trust.
Last summer, after being appointed as CQC’s new chief executive, David Behan asked the firm Grant Thornton to examine concerns about its failure to prevent the scandal.
Its report, published last month, accused former chief executive Cynthia Bower, her deputy Jill Finney and media manager Anna Jefferson of a cover-up, in suppressing damaging evidence about the regulator’s failures, which all three deny.
But at a hearing of the Commons Health Select Committee yesterday, Sterl Greenhalgh, one of the firm’s partners said the company was “surprised” to be told by CQC officials that their investigation could only access one year’s emails.
It later emerged - after the report had been published - that this information was “inaccurate,” he said.
This meant that investigators not only missed correspondence between regional officials, which was uncovered by James Titcombe, whose baby son Joshua died in 2008, but could have missed many more disclosures about the scale of the cover-up, MPs said.
John Woodcock, MP for Barrow, has written to the Metropolitan Police, which is currently considering whether to launch a criminal investigation, asking them to examine the latest revelations.
He said: “If the health watchdog gave false information to the independent inquiry that prevented damning emails coming to light, those responsible could be criminally liable.
“The new managers at the CQC say they want to be more open but this latest scandal happened on their watch - they have serious questions to answer.”
Charlotte Leslie, a Conservative MP on the committee, said the disclosures in the uncovered emails were “disturbing”.
She said it was of “significant concern” that MPs were yesterday examining an email which “puts an additional different light on the nature and extent of the cover-up,” and had not been seen by investigators, raising the question of what else had been missed.
David Prior, the watchdog’s chairman, appointed earlier this year, said the organisation had been guilty of a culture of “incompetence, complacency, dysfunction, suppression and oppression.”
A spokesman for Grant Thornton said the firm had access to “part, but not all of the email chain referred to” by Ms Leslie during the hearings, and specifically did not have sight of the email which discussed registering the maternity unit without conditions.
A spokesman for CQC said that although Grant Thornton was told that emails older than a year could not be retrieved via their IT back-up systems, they were able to access any correspondence stored under its records policy.
Last night Norman Lamb, the care minister, said the current system of regualation was “completely flawed” and will be overhauled.
Directors of hospitals and care homes where patients are neglected or abused will face criminal prosecution and unlimited fines, under government plans.
Mr Lamb said the Government intends to introduce a “fit and proper person” test to ensure all NHS and care home directors are trustworthy and not ripping off patients, residents or their families.
Under a consultation launched on Thursday, the CQC will be given new powers to prosecute NHS directors for such failings.
The CQC will also be able to order the removal of any director of a hospital or care home who fails basic background checks about their honesty, integrity and competence.
Mr Lamb said: “Despite all the things we have heard about in the health and care sector over the last few of years, there hasn’t been a single prosecution by the CQC under the powers that they have,” he said.
The consultation forms part of the government’s response to the scandals at Winterbourne View care home in Bristol, where patients with learning disabilities suffered abuse, and the deaths of up to 1,200 patients at Mid Staffordshire NHS trust.
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