James Cunningham

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Walsgrave hospital

This speech was part of a debate in Westminster Hall.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I also thank Mr. Speaker for granting this debate at short notice. It has to be appreciated that this is a short debate, and my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, North-West (Mr. Robinson) will pick up any points that I fail to make. He is quite adroit at that. My hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz), who is also here today, is lending his support on the issue, which centres on the suspension of a doctor at Walsgrave hospital some two years ago. It is worth noting, which I hope the Minister will do, that this is the second time that we have had to have a debate on suspensions at the hospital.

There has been a range of problems at the hospital, but we should start by recognising that progress has been made in several areas during the past 12 months - we would not want to take that away from the new management. That progress includes an improvement in patient care, a new trust chairperson and a new chief executive of the trust, an improvement in terms of the practice of bed blocking and a tremendous effort to reduce waiting times. There has also been tremendous progress over the building of a new hospital, the final cost of which may be £380 million or more. It is also worth stating for the record that my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, North-West and I supported my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, North-East (Mr. Ainsworth) as a link between us and the national health service to secure that hospital.

One outstanding issue remains - that of Dr. Mattu. He was appointed on 1 May 1997 to establish a new medical school and to help to improve standards. He also joined the cardiac department. In February 2002, he was suspended after he raised concerns about overcrowding in some wards, in which five beds were placed in four-person bays, which was interesting. There was quite a lot of controversy about it. From 1999, he raised at a series of meetings other concerns about standards and the level of care. As I say, he was employed to help to improve standards.

There have been two inquiries to investigate some of those concerns. The Commission for Health Improvement carried out an investigation and expressed several concerns. In fairness to the trust, it acted on the report and put those matters right. A further inquiry is to be held because of allegations that the first two inquiries, which were separate from the CHI report, did not appear to cover all the concerns regarding five beds in a four-bed bay. We believe that this inquiry should be independent, as that would show transparency and encourage the public again to trust the management of the hospital to deliver adequate services.

It has been estimated that the suspension and resulting legal expenses are costing the NHS about £50 million a year - a considerable sum that could be used for other purposes in the health service. Suspensions and over-long disciplinary procedures cost the NHS a great deal of money. In previous cases, the disciplinary procedure has taken two years and run up costs of hundreds of thousands of pounds. The personal cost to Dr. Mattu includes not being able to practise his skills, the emotional cost to him and his family and the cost of long disciplinary procedures. At what stage does whistleblowing become a disciplinary matter? We need guidance from the Minister on that question.

In the past three years, there have been at least three suspensions for very long periods. One case had to be resolved by the courts, one was settled out of court and now there is the case of Dr. Mattu. The new management have had the chance to wipe the slate clean as most of those cases, including that of Dr. Mattu, occurred under the previous trust management.

My hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, North-West and I are calling for Dr. Mattu to be reinstated or, failing that, for an independent panel to examine the case or the Minister to set up an independent inquiry. We want to let the past stay in the past and get everyone to work towards one aim - the provision of a better health service for the people of Coventry. In outlining our concerns in the Dr. Mattu case, we make it perfectly clear that we do not want a quarrel with the management. If that is what we wanted, there would be no reason for us to call for arbitration.

There have been problems at the hospital, but we recognise that there have been slow improvements and also that there cannot be any major improvements until the new hospital is completed. However, we acknowledge the valuable service of the staff in providing for the health of the people of Coventry and we would not want anyone to think that we are disputing that contribution. There can be a new hospital, but if staff morale is low there is a problem.

The way to lift staff morale is to treat the staff fairly, consider their grievances and try to resolve them. As a gesture in that direction, at the very least there should be some conciliation between the trust and Dr. Mattu and his advisers. It is Dr. Mattu now, but who will it be next week because the management happen to disagree with the staff on the issues that they raise?

We must bear it in mind that one of Dr. Mattu's functions on appointment was to improve standards and, in doing so, the onus was on him to raise issues about which he was concerned. Five beds being placed in a four-bed bay is a serious issue, and as that and other issues have not been resolved and there has been no independent inquiry, there are grounds for mistrust in the public mind over how the hospital is managed and for a lack of confidence in the services. I do not say that that has happened, but there is a real danger that it could.

This is a short debate and we want to give the Minister adequate time to reply. We appeal to her to consider the situation objectively. I know it is difficult for her to intervene, but where there is a will there is a way. At the very least, she should push for conciliation, if not an independent inquiry.

My hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, North-West will make further points about the hospital and Dr. Mattu's case. The people of Coventry are watching that case, as they did the previous cases, as what has been going on is very frustrating for them and the situation cannot continue. At some point, the past must be buried so that we can move on to the future and deliver what the people of Coventry deserve - a new hospital and the best services that can be provided. If that is done, staff morale will improve and, more importantly, the people of Coventry will have confidence in a first-class health service.