E-mail From John Parkes Indicating Misreporting Of Outpatient Waiting List Figures
From:
John ParkesSent: 07 February 2001 12:35
To: Ian Perkin; Ian Hamilton
Cc: Wendy McCarthy
Subject: RE: Oupatient Waiting List - Regional
Importance: High
Ian
This is pathetic. I gave Traci an instruction by email that for last month we would not report the total position my having agreed this with the Regional Office. Traci with no political insight at all then sends off, last Friday, numbers to the Region showing that we are in fact 100% away from our target and to be fair she did speak to Jo Silcock but without explaining the magnitude of the problem to him i.e. he believed that we are probably 800 away from target whereas the correct position is more like 1450!
I met with Traci yesterday and explained very nicely to her that it is her job to report the numbers and it is my job to manage the politics and that she must make me aware of any problems rather than just reporting numbers up the line. I also told Traci that if I did not want her to report the correct numbers I would confirm this in writing to her.
Yesterday afternoon I telephoned Jo Silcock and asked him does he really want us to report the true Trust position particularly as it is now at 1450 rather than 800, as he may want to look at the overall position in London. Jo was obviously very surprised and concerned and I have got to go to Region next week to explain why we have made such a huge cock up. Jo wanted 24 hours to think about things and once I have spoken to him again I will tell Traci what to do!!
Regards
John
-----Original Message-----
From: Ian Perkin
Sent: 07 February 2001 10:34
To: Ian Hamilton; John Parkes
Subject: Oupatient Waiting List - Regional
Ian/John
Traci Dean has raised with me via Wendy her concerns about reporting to Region our Outpatient Waiting List numbers. The Regional return should have gone in yesterday, Traci's concern is that we are coming under pressure not to publish our true position because of the adverse impact it would have on the overall London position, but that if or when it subsequently comes out that the true figures have not been reported there will be no support for her or her staff. If it is your view that the Trust should not report the actual waiting list figures I think this is only going to happen if one or other of you instructs Traci in writing that this is what should happen.
Ian