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NHS Improvement to start investigation into Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

NHS Improvement has today announced that Carole Taylor Brown will oversee the independent investigation into Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The investigation follows a number of allegations made to NHS Improvement about cultural, behavioural and governance issues at the trust, as well as concerns about the handling of a recent disciplinary case involving allegations of sexual misconduct.

The investigation will:

  1. investigate concerns raised by members of trust staff in late 2017 with NHS Improvement regarding cultural, behavioural and governance issues
  2. review the trust’s handling of a recent disciplinary case involving allegations of sexual misconduct; and
  3. consider NHS Improvements’ response to the concerns raised with it per above

Carole Taylor Browne is an experienced independent investigator with NHS experience, who has undertaken numerous investigations of this type, working alongside multiple agencies. Carole was previously the Chief Executive of NHS Suffolk and NHS Suffolk East PTC.

The allegations made to NHS Improvement regarding some of the behavioural and cultural practices at Wirral Teaching University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are very serious. Therefore, we have taken urgent action to commission an independent investigation, which will also examine our own handling of the allegations.

I hope this investigation will provide reassurance to staff at the trust, patients and the local community, that we have taken their concerns seriously and will seek to make changes and improvements where necessary, so staff can continue to provide safe, high quality care in a working environment that is supportive, open and transparent.

Ian Dalton, Chief Executive of NHS Improvement