Gloucestershire NHS boss vows to stay despite damning report

An NHS hospital boss has vowed to stay in her role despite a recent damning report.

Deborah Lee apologised after an inspection downgraded Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's rating to "requires improvement".

Inspectors raised concerns about surgical safety, bullying and racial discrimination at its two main hospitals.

Ms Lee said she hoped to help the trust regain its "good" rating.

Before the Care Quality Commission (CQC) report was carried out in June, the trust had an overall "good" rating for its two main hospitals - Cheltenham General and Gloucestershire General.

But inspectors found leaders did not always use the organisation's values to improve the culture and services for patients, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

It added that "not all leaders were visible and approachable for patients and staff and not all staff felt respected, supported and valued".

Aspects of the trust's "poor culture", included "bullying, (a) lack of listening to frontline staff", and a "lack of trust in the freedom to speak up".

It also said there was a "lack of action when concerns were raised, disconnect between leaders and frontline staff, blame culture, discrimination and applying positive 'spin' to situations that were negative".

A warning notice has been issued to the trust saying that "significant improvement (is) required in areas of safety, leadership, risk management and governance for the surgery services".

Ms Lee - who earns an annual salary of £265,000 as the trust's chief executive - told councillors at a Gloucestershire County Council health overview and scrutiny committee meeting on Tuesday that its content were a "really hard read" for her.

But she also but pointed out that it was in special measures when she was appointed in June 2016.

"None of us come to work to do anything other than our very best. That's our intention and for us to read that we have not achieved that was really tough," she said.

"I would like to take this public opportunity to express my apologies to any patient, family member or colleague that has been impacted by the issues raised in this report.

"I have reflected considerably on what this means for me. As people have rightly pointed out, I am the leader of the leaders. I've reflected on whether I am part of the problem or have the opportunity to be part of the solution."

Ms Lee said she inherited the hospital when it was in special measures and issues around culture were very evident at that time.

"I'm proud that I led the trust to its first ever good rating by the CQC and I hope that I have the opportunity to do that again with the team I have now."

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