Another day, another shower of Sloven related shite. The (one hour) Sloven extraordinary governor’s meeting next Tuesday has been ‘transformed’ [painted a different colour] into a set of observations by pretty much everyone other than the caretaker and cleaners who I suspect would have more sensible and insightful reflections than the newly appointed interim board chair, improvement director, nursing director, CEO and two other random peeps listed on the agenda. The emergency motion that generated the meeting has been pushed to a secret session after public questions. Within the one hour meeting.
Yep. Really.
[Essential context here from George Julian, Mark Aspinall and Peter Bell].
Beyond unacceptable. And so disappointing from Tim and the Turnaround Team. Big sis, Agent T, texted this morning in frustration to say ‘I don’t know why they surprise us every time. I think there must be a hint of not being pushed (or seen to be pushed) by some pesky families…’ This echoes Tom saying
The ridiculous thing about all of this is that when I look at what families demand from Southern Health and the way that they just don’t change I sometimes worry that maybe we are asking a lot or being unreasonable. But then I list the demands of the families and they shouldn’t even be demands, they are such basic requests that if asked on behalf of any other group in society would’ve been dealt with straight away with no barriers. So why does it take so long when it’s for those with learning difficulties?
Agent T and Tom are both right. We ain’t being unreasonable or pesky. We’re calling a failing trust out. Repeatedly. With enough evidence to sink a Sloven flotilla. Sloven, meanwhile, have shown no signs of recognising/acknowledging failings. Tom captures this brilliantly in his post.
Hey ho.
We’ll be heading to the Lyndhurst Community Centre on Tuesday for the unfolding of the fake governors meeting. Meeting My Life My Choice champs at Oxford station, picking up Agent T and Ally Rogers en route and hooking up with George Julian and others somewhere in the New Forest.
- None of us should have to do this.
- Thoughtful action by enlightened governors shouldn’t be closed down as it has been
I just hope there’s a good spot for a picnic after and a bit of sunshine. Sounds like we’ll be booted out sharpish.
In related news, My Life My Choice received a second mysterious letter recently. Written to then board chair, Simon Waugh, in May 2014. Copied into Monitor and NHS England. Wonder if they will be there on Tuesday? I’m sure we’ll have enough egg sarnies and a flask of tea or two to share…
mydaftlife 
Despicable: here is an email we addressed to Monitor and the CQC this afternoon:
Starts
From: [CRASH]
Sent: 12 May 2016 15:15
To: ‘Bennett-Wilson, Karen’ ; ‘Lelliott, Paul’ ; ‘Dawda, Vikash’ ; ‘Private Office Correspondence Unit’ ; ‘Watson, Kirsten’
Cc: ‘Jim.Mackey@Monitor.gov.uk’ ; ‘Tom Grimes’
Subject: RE: [Restricted] – SHNFT – STILL COVERING UP
Dear Karen and Paul [CQC senior executives]
I thought we were making progress on reforming Southern Health and was impressed by your recent TV appearances. At the recent Council of Governors’ Meeting, it appeared that some of the Governors were at last prepared to act robustly. An emergency resolution called for a vote of no confidence in the Board of Directors.
It was decided that Governors needed more time to consider the matter and agreed that an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Governors would be called in 7-10 days’ time to debate and vote on the resolutions. It was announced only yesterday – Tuesday 17 May 2016, 11.45 hrs at Lyndhurst Community Centre.
All very positive until we see the agenda (attached). Someone has decided (without I understand the Governors’ full approval) that it would be prejudicial to the public interest for the public to know:
• What is going on at a failing Trust.
• The views of governors, whose role is inter alia to represent the interests of the public.
It’s as bad as one of the much-maligned super injunctions taken out by celebrities. Not only are they holding the debate in secret but also the public is not even being informed of the subject being debated. Fortunately, one of the governors has gone public – you can read some of the resolutions and his views at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/openness-transparency-nhs-peter-c-bell-acsi-mbcs
It does not require a discussion on individual cases (which might require confidentiality) to debate these resolutions. It is, in my opinion, an abuse of The Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960. Yet again, the Trust is relying on the inability (financially) of people (this time including governors) to take legal advice/action.
This decision is counter-intuitive, undemocratic, illogical, offends common sense and will further damage the Trust’s already trashed reputation. They are totally inept at crisis-management.
The talk locally is that the Trust is nearing a state of civil war: this could lead to a mutiny. The Trust has already lost the robust Governor, who proposed the emergency resolution originally (Mark Aspinall), and I understand that others may be threatening to resign too.
If this continues, we will be left with the same ineffective governors and non-executive directors who are linked incontrovertibly with the failure of leadership and governance identified by Mazars and the CQC.
If this is the new Chairman’s idea of openness and transparency, it appears that Monitor has selected the wrong person – one already swayed by the charms of Percy and Stevens.
I respectfully suggest that, in conjunction with Monitor, you should use all your powers to persuade the Chairman (or instruct him if possible) to change his decision.
Ends
Delighted to hear that Sara and supporters will be heading to the Lyndhurst Community Centre on Tuesday for the unfolding of the fake governors meeting. To my mind, the veil of secrecy thrown over the meeting makes it even more important for the public to be represented. Anyone up for a ‘sit in’ when the public and press are asked to leave. I would also suggest that all readers write to their MPs and relevant local authority Councillors.
….. a scene from Blackadder in minds eye…….;
The queen, and her courtiers all terrified she will lose it and ‘chop off’ their heads. I wonder who plays ‘nursie’.
Lesley Stevens? The ‘didn’t mean to say “escaped”‘ thing sounds very like a Nursie gaffe. I shall always picture her henceforth in a black-and-white furry costume adorned with supernumerary udders.
Can’t agree with “furry” – she’s no pussy cat! It was 2012 when she was named in Parliament and associated with the “slippery” methods of the Trust. I prefer the image of an eel!
Katrina Percy? She clearly has the hide of a rhinoceros.
Kara – thanks for your comment on my blog about Agincourt: I used it to make up a new post – ‘The Battle of Tatchbury Mount’ – https://999crash.wordpress.com/blog/, currently the second post down. In the first, you will see how a NED (great acronym) treats patients with contempt.
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Staggering audacity – the meeting is not being held in camera after all, NHS Un-improvement and the new open and transparent Chairman have colluded to cancel it altogether. As usual, the Oxford Mail is ‘on the ball’:
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/14493555.Vote_of_no_confidence_in_bosses_at_Southern_Health_NHS_trust__would_not_be_legal_/
But the Oxford Mail has not been told the full truth. Southern Health has falsely blamed the Governor who drafted the resolutions – more on that later! As per the old Jewish saying, a half-truth is a whole lie.