Report into Belfast Trust culture says cardiac unit still poses risk to patient safety

Personal conflict within the cardiac surgery team at the Royal Victoria Hospital continues to pose a risk to patient safety and service delivery an independent report has found.

The report found that due a fundamental breakdown in relationships between some of the Consultant Cardiac Surgeons, "there is little trust between them and consequently there is an ongoing risk to service delivery and patient safety.”

It continued: “There is still significant risk associated with the dysfunctional team dynamics within the Cardiac Surgical Team.”

The report was commissioned by the health minister after UTV exclusively revealed that a culture of poor behaviour by some heart surgeons at Northern Ireland’s cardiac surgery unit led to a “significant risk to patient safety.”

The medical unit that has been under scrutiny for its workplace culture with allegations of bullying and poor behaviour overshadowing its life saving work.A personal feud within the unit escalated to the point that a small number of surgeons refused to go into the workplace and some operations had to be cancelled.

The reports authors Dr Jennifer Hill and Peter McBride said there were multiple examples of excellent behaviours within the Trust, but also flagged up that there were some other areas where behaviours had fallen short of what was expected.

Health minister Mike Nesbitt said he he hoped that recommendations made within the report will help the Belfast Trust move forward."I'm very grateful to Peter McBride and Jennifer Hill for completing that work. They've done the diagnostics and have come up with 10 recommendations, mostly for the trust.

"I'm delighted that Tony Stevens, formerly of the Northern Trust, will go in to help with the implementation of that. We will also, as a Department, look at the broader learnings for the Health and Social Care system, and those learnings will be disseminated to the other trusts."In a written statement to MLAs Minister Nesbitt said he “I remain committed to ensuring that all staff

across the HSC system experience work environments where they are valued and supported on a daily basis and where the enduring culture is one of openness, transparency and respect."But health committee members believe several questions remain unaswered.

DUP MLA Diane Dodds said: "I do stress that the issues of a toxic culture, of bad behavior, and of bullying from management is not just confined to the Cardiac Surgical Unit.

"It is a widespread trust issue. I've spoken to many doctors across all disciplines within the Trust who expressed real concern about management of their problems."

In a written statement, Dianne Dodds MLA said: “This is a detailed and significant report. While we are still studying its full findings, it is already clear that the issues identified are deeply concerning and demand immediate action.

"The report notes that ‘there is still significant risk associated with the dysfunctional team dynamics within the cardiac surgical team.’ The fact that this remains an issue raises serious questions about what actions the Trust has taken so far, and what more will now be done to ensure patient safety.

"It is welcome that 17 per cent of Trust staff - almost 3,500 people - took part in the review. That level of engagement demonstrates a clear commitment among staff to deliver meaningful change and to help shape a better culture moving forward.

"However, it also highlights the scale of the problem across the organisation, and the Minister cannot ignore the level of concern that exists.

"The report also reveals that 61 per cent of respondents lack confidence in how the Trust would handle a report of concern, and that many staff remain reluctant to report inappropriate behaviour for fear that nothing will be done. Such high levels of dissatisfaction in Trust processes is simply unacceptable.

"I have been raising these issues for some time and have spoken to clinicians across various specialisms who share these frustrations.

"They feel their voices have not been heard and that there has been a breakdown of trust between frontline staff and senior management. That relationship must now be repaired.

"With Mr McBride and Dr Hill due before the Health Committee tomorrow, alongside the new Chief Executive of the Belfast Trust, I will be seeking firm assurances that lessons are being learned, that decisive action will follow, and that there is a credible plan to restore both public confidence and staff morale.

"I welcome the transparency this report brings - but that same openness must now extend across all aspects of the Trust’s work, from patient care to capital planning and future service decisions.”

Belfast Trust welcomes the publication of the McBride Hill Report. We look forward to developing an action plan and implementing the recommendations.

Belfast Trust Chief Executive, Jennifer Welsh, said: “The recommendations from this report are a further and important next step in responding to the support and interventions from Minister Nesbitt, which I very much embrace.

"So, we will move forward together, and we will build a workplace that is a safe and supportive environment for all.”

Catch up with the latest UTV Live on ITVX

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.