GAGGED! Is this councillor being silenced for showing his disgust at the blood-stained chairs he spotted in Grimsby hospital's A&E department?
A councillor and governor of the trust that runs the hospital is facing action after going public about his concerns when filthy chairs he reported to staff were still there a week later.
Defiant Matthew Brown has now called for reform of the "toothless" Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – claiming that it looks after the interests of the NHS and does not have enough public representation to hold it to account.
His comments about accountability come just days after a former chief executive at the neighbouring United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Gary Walker, defied a £500,000 gagging order to raise concerns about patient safety following the announcement that it was being investigated for high mortality rates.
He was sacked from the trust, which runs hospitals in Louth, Skegness, Lincoln and Boston, in 2010 over alleged swearing at a meeting, and claims he was forced to quit for refusing to meet Whitehall targets for non-emergency patients because of his concerns.
Meanwhile, Mr Brown (Lab, Croft Baker) defended his actions, suggesting the "only thing they should be investigating is why fabric chairs were in A&E in the first place".
"As a councillor, I represent nearly 100,000 people in North East Lincolnshire and consider it my duty to hold these people to account – the story was in the public interest," he said.
"The NHS Foundation Trust is toothless and professionals who work within the health service expect us to simply rubberstamp everything.
"It needs more representation from the local authority and unions, and it should not be chaired by someone employed by the health service."
Mr Brown contacted the Grimsby Telegraph with pictures of the chairs he found in A&E at the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, when he
was there with his father.
He reported the state of the chairs – which he believes were stained with blood and urine – to nurses but when he returned a week later, nothing had been done.
It was then that he emailed trust chairman Dr James Whittingham with his concerns on Tuesday, January 22, and later also contacted us.
On Wednesday, January 30, we printed the picture of one of the chairs and an NLAG statement, saying plans were in place to replace the chairs – although it has now emerged that the new chairs are not due to be delivered until next month.
As a result of the front page story, Dr Whittingham wrote to Mr Brown – and North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) chief executive Tony Hunter – to say that he is now being investigated for breaching the Trust's code of conduct.
The letter says: "I am extremely concerned and disappointed that as a trust governor, you felt it appropriate to publicly criticise the trust on this subject.
"You raised the matter with me by email, I came back to you with an explanation and plans for a resolution but despite these assurances, you still went ahead with the Telegraph story.
"Finally, I'm concerned you felt it appropriate to take an unauthorised photograph in the A&E department."
Mr Brown said: "The letter I received made me quite angry. I'm not employed by them – what could they do to me?
"The only thing that they should be investigating is why those fabric chairs, which absorb liquids, were in A&E in the first place – they need wipe-clean surfaces.
"Doctors and nurses work very hard in that state-of-the-art facility, which is among the best in the region, but those filthy seats undermine everything great about it.
"Someone in middle management has got the decision dangerously wrong and it's all very well saying they plan to replace the seats but this should never have happened in the first place.
Wendy Booth, trust secretary, said: "Mr Brown contacted the trust and he was informed we were looking into his concerns. He was also informed that if he had any further concerns to raise them with the chairman.
"However, Councillor Brown undertook his own course of action which we are currently investigating under the trust constitution as it may constitute a breach of the Code of Conduct for Governors.
"As North East Lincolnshire Council appointed Cllr Brown as a governor, we have also written to the council's chief executive to advise him of the investigation."
A council spokesman said: "This is a matter for the NHS Trust and as such it would be inappropriate for us to comment."
Editor's Comment WHY should people face action for publicly criticising organisations that exist to provide a service. Matthew Brown quite rightly spoke out about what he felt was a hygiene issue in the accident and emergency department at Grimsby Hospital. Now it may seem like a small issue in the grand scheme of things – people's lives are being saved daily by talented staff and we all appreciate that and respect everything they do. However what message does it send out to have such grubby looking chairs for people to sit on – when surely plastic or easy clean would be the obvious choice. And Mr Brown is correct – it would appear to people waiting that infection could be spread and if any organisation leaves chairs like that for people to sit on, then what else do they allow to go unchecked – not to say that they do in the hospital. This story also raises the wider question of people being prevented from asking such questions as to stop organisations from getting a bad name – everyone has to be open to criticism!