East Kent maternity deaths: Trust has lost confidence of patients

A boss at a trust which was heavily criticised in a damning report says patients have lost confidence in the care they provide.

Raymond Anakwe, executive director of East Kent Hospitals Trust, said regaining patient trust would be "possibly the largest challenge".

He was speaking at a board meeting two weeks after a review found a "clear pattern" of "sub-optimal" care.

Mr Anakwe said: "The reality is we have lost the confidence of our patients."

He also said the trust has lost the confidence "of our local community and sadly also many staff".

The trust's chief executive, Tracey Fletcher, told the meeting that she believed many staff thought "enough is enough", and that the trust has to be "brave" if it's to move forward.

Stewart Baird, a non-executive director, said: "I think it's clear the buck stops here with the people sat round this table, and where there are bad behaviours in the trust, it's because we have allowed it.

"Where people don't feel able to speak up, it's because we have not provided an environment for them to do that."

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Source: BBC News, 3 November 2022