‘Tension’ and ‘poor behaviours’ uncovered on trust’s board

The board of a mental health trust grappling with serious culture and safety concerns is “not functioning well”, an NHS England investigation has found, amid the early departure of its chair.

Black Country Healthcare Foundation Trust has faced several challenges this year with poor staff survey results, a long-running dispute between the provider and its medical consultant group, and NHS England’s Midlands team being sent several letters by anonymous groups of staff on a range of serious issues.

The NHS England investigation found staff across the organisation “consider that the board is not functioning well, and that it is not able to resolve conflicts constructively.”

A report of the findings, published this week, added: “There has been a tolerance of poor behaviours at board and a hesitancy previously to tackle them.

“There is a need to refresh and reset relationships built on trust and respect, to create an environment where people feel comfortable to raise concerns in board meetings, not outside, [and] to enable resolution.”

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Source: HSJ, 5 November 2024