So here I am writing about them again. For those who don't know about it, Worcestershire Mental Health Trust is one I had locumed for in 2006 and 2007. A GMC investigation put me on their number one hit list. Well, I can't blame them really. It must be awful to be a Trust responsible for so many fatalities, having to tell the media how great you are when the staff know that the Trust management is a resounding "thumbs down". Worcestershire Mental Health Partnerships has problems. I have always held the view that you get more sense out of the patients there than the management. The Trust didn't take well to the GMC investigation. They panicked and fired me then stood in silence while I was cleared six months later. Having fired me, the great nellies decided to run around like headless chicken concealing their misdemeanors. They decided that firing me would mean huge liability consequences for them. This may be so but it is almost laughable watching this Trust react with the motive of preserving their money.
You can see Ros switching on the broken record and telling everyone how great the Trust is. She does it each time the Trust is criticised. Her poor leadership is of course the reason why Worcestershire Mental Health Trust colluded with their pals at GMC Towers in a case that didn't actually concern them. It is this sheer keeness that amuses me on occasion. I use the term Pavlov's dogs because the GMC can train any Trust to follow them. That is the beauty of having a GMC panellist at the Trust in question. It didn't do any of them much good really. It did though provide more writing fodder.
This is an examination of what happens to many doctors subject to GMC processes. The Trust automatically defaults to the GMC. The fact that the GMC has actually pitched them to be the fall guy in the liability stakes escapes them. Nevertheless, I always watch these patterns of behaviour with a good dose of popcorn. It is a bit like a large drama unfolding slowly. Worcestershire Mental Health Partnership are so predictable of course. It is a great shame for them that I have been sent patient notes of one who committed suicide. The patient is someone other than the person below. It is amazing how much information you can get from people who work at the Trust.
A case that struck me about Worcestershire Mental Health Partnership is this one.
This piece was presented in the Kidderminister Shuttle.
WORCESTERSHIRE Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust has admitted there were shortfalls in the services provided to Leon Laga, who died outside Kidderminster Police Station three years ago.
Mr Laga, of Bewdley Hill, suffered from mental illness since he was 17. He was found slumped on the police station steps with a cigarette in one hand and a lighter in the other after taking an overdose on January 15, 2005.
A coroner’s inquest yesterday recorded a narrative verdict on his death.
Mick Mather, director of integrated mental health services at the trust, said:
“We recognise that the documentation in relation to Leon’s care fell short of the standards we aim to provide. We also accept that there were shortfalls in the communication between the professional staff involved and systemic failures in regard to care planning and review.”
Mr Laga had a history of self harming and had a problem with alcohol, which he would drink in a binge fashion, the inquest heard.
Dr Ros Keeton, chief executive of the mental health trust, said: “We offer our most sincere apologies to Leon’s family and friends. We hope they can accept our assurance that the trust has made substantial improvements in the years since Leon’s death.
“We would like to point to the recent Healthcare Commission report, which stated that the quality of our services is now excellent. We hope this will reassure other service users that our support structures and services are now fit for purpose.”
So just for Ros Keeton, the hapless Chief Executive, we had to put together a nice little feature detailing their more recent efforts. There was of course the series of suicides that happened up until 2008.
The Trust is a little coy about their suicide rate :).
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