News item

4th. May 2009.

HEALTH BOARD LEADERS FAIL TO CURB FREEDOM OF SPEECH - BULLY BOYS GET BLOODY NOSE!

A four-month investigation into allegations of bullying by one of our Councillors has now reached a conclusion. The Chief Investigating Officer, Scotland’s top Ethical Standards Watchdog, has decided there is no case to answer.

The Chair of NHS Lothian Board, Dr. Charles Winstanley, made the complaint against Councillor Gordon Beurskens after the erudite Councillor wrote to Cardiology Consultant, Andrew Flapan asking him to explain a series of letters published in the West Lothian Courier.

Dr. Flapan, rather than address the questions, chose to adopt a cynical and high-handed approach to Councillor Beurskens. Indeed, a Freedom of Information request has revealed that Dr. Flapan was acting in concert with NHS Lothian’s Director of Communications in orchestrating a strategy that would ultimately be their undoing.

Councillor Beurskens decided to question NHS Lothian about the provision of Coronary Care at St. John’s Hospital after Dr. Flapan wrote to the Courier dismissing any suggestion that there was anything wrong at the hospital. He was also aware at the time he wrote to Dr. Flapan that NHS Lothian had dismissed a Staff Nurse who had written to the Courier contradicting Flapan’s claims.

In a letter to the Chief Executive of West Lothian Council, James McCaffery, NHS Lothian’s Chief Operating Officer, claimed that Dr. Flapan felt “bullied and intimidated” by the Councillor’s letters. However, emails released under FOI rules reveal that Jenifer Stirton, NHS Lothian’s Director of Communication, advised Flapan against using a highly inflammatory passage in a letter to Councillor Beurskens. Beurskens’ response led to the accusations of bullying.

Councillor Beurskens said, “I was disappointed when I first heard about the complaint from the Sunday Herald. Eddie Egan, the Vice-Chair and staff-side representative at NHS Lothian had given them a statement. His comments, if true, were a master-class in hypocrisy.

“However, I welcome the findings by the Chief Investigating Officer. These vacuous allegations were all the more curious coming from Dr. Charles Winstanley, the Chair of NHS Lothian. Recent Board papers reveal a culture of bullying and intimidation of staff of epidemic proportions within NHS Lothian. This opinion is widely held.

“In the same week, the retiring Chair of the Healthcare Commission in England, Sir Ian Kennedy, spoke of the culture of bullying in the NHS that still “permeates the delivery of care”. In light of his statement, it is disappointing that those fighting for the rights of staff should be treated so shabbily.

“It would befit the Chairman, and his Vice Chair, to get their own house in order. Until they do, we will continue to campaign for the rights of staff and patients alike.”

Read Clearance letter from Ethical Standards in Public Life Chief Investigating Officer here

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