Council bosses urged to consider report into Southern Health NHS trust that suggests it should face a public investigation

At the meeting of the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee at Hampshire County Council on Wednesday, members were asked to not only consider the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust’s recent ‘Good’ CQC report but also to look at the independent report by Nigel Pascoe QC, which looked into the deaths of four people between 2012 and 2015.

Mr Pascoe said there had been ‘significant, serious and deeply regrettable failures’ which had caused ‘real and long-lasting harm’. The report looked into the deaths of Robert Small from Fareham, David West from Southampton, Edward Hartley from Wickham and Marion Munns from Southampton.But Southern Health, the provider of mental health services across the south of England, said it had ‘made significant changes’ since the period covered by the report.Mr Pascoe said there are indications of a ‘greater willingness throughout the trust to listen and learn from the catastrophic mistakes that were made’.

But he added that what had been presented to him was a ‘truly deplorable and unacceptable saga’.In his report, published last month, Mr Pascoe recommended a limited public investigation to review the action taken by the trust and see if the concerns raised have been addressed.

In January the CQC rated the trust as good, saying improvements had been made.In his deputation at the meeting Geoff Hill, from the Forum for Justice, Accountability and Equality at Southern Health, said: ‘It is deeply concerning that members are asked to note only the CQC report’s findings and the improved rating of good.‘Yet members are not asked to note the findings of a truly independent report by an eminent QC. How can members take the CQC report seriously when, simultaneously, an eminent QC recommends a public inquiry into the trust’s current conduct?’

At the meeting Councillor Alan Dowden urged members to take action.‘It worries me. We are the select committee and we must do something,’ he added.Councillor David Harrison asked the committee to make sure that Southern Health chief executive or the chair of governors would attend a meeting to answer questions.Councillor Roger Huxstep, chairman of the committee, asked for a meeting with Southern Health interim chief executive in September as current chief executive Nick Broughton will leave the trust in May.

In a statement Dr Broughton said: ‘At times the trust’s response to families’ understandable concerns added to their distress at an already difficult time. This is completely unacceptable: I am profoundly sorry, and on behalf of the trust I apologise. The trust fully accepted the recommendations of the report by Nigel Pascoe QC.

‘As an NHS trust it is right and proper that we are held publicly accountable for the quality of our services and our ability to learn and improve. We therefore welcome the opportunity, outlined in the report, to describe in detail the changes we have made since 2015 and where we are making further improvements.

‘The trust has made significant changes since the period covered by this report. In many cases these changes have been as a direct result of contribution from families and learning from past failings.’Further details on the recommended public inquiry are expected to be released by NHS Improvement, which commissioned the report.

The CQC and the county council were approached for comment.