Request To James Cochrane That Julie Dent Resign
From: Ian Perkin [ianperkin@blueyonder.co.uk]
Sent: 16 October 2004 22:07
To: 'james.cochrane@swlha.nhs.uk'
Cc: 'Julie.Dent@swlha.nhs.uk'; 'DAVEYE@parliament.uk'; 'nigel.crisp@doh.gsi.gov.uk';
'David.McNeil@doh.gsi.gov.uk'
Subject: Internal NHS Investigation
Dear Sir James
As you will be aware, I was last week sent a copy of the investigation carried out by David Sissling into the allegations made by myself into the wrong practices that took place at St George's Healthcare. The report has found at point 24 in regard to the cancelled operations issue that, "I consider Mr Perkin's allegation proven, in respect of the inappropriate alteration of cancelled operations data for the three weeks commencing 24 September 2001. I am also of the opinion that the Trust was wrong in offering a variety of excuses for the error occurring".
On the 29th January 2003 Mrs Dent wrote to me and stated, "Ian Hamilton informed me of the issues that you had raised in relation to waiting list reporting procedures. I discussed with him the action that the Trust had taken and have been kept informed of the Trust's subsequent actions in this regard". Given that Mrs Dent is the Chief Executive of the South West London Strategic Health Authority, the very body charged with arranging for the Sissling Investigation to have taken place and the body to whom it is reporting, it seems to me that this written acknowledgement that she was aware of both the issues and the action that the Trust was taking, puts her in an impossible position. My Member of Parliament Edward Davey has already previously called for Mrs Dent to resign and I am now writing you to endorse that call in the light of the findings of the Sissling Investigation, given Mrs Dent's admission that she was aware of the issues and the Trust's subsequent actions.
I should be grateful if you would confirm to me that this information will be drawn to the attention of the members of your Board either before or at Tuesday's meeting when the report is to be published.
I should inform you that it is my intention to make this communication between us public.
Yours sincerely
Ian Perkin CPFA FRSA