The Sissling Inquiry
In response to my demands for an independent inquiry into the documented evidence that I have of wrong doing within the NHS, I have met with only a blank refusal from both Ministers and Sir Nigel Crisp to even consider the prospect, despite their public pronouncements that the NHS is an open and accountable organisation. However, thanks to continued pressure from the media, Sir Nigel Crisp has abandoned his earlier stance of "not muddying the waters" and has appointed David Sissling the Chief Executive of the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Strategic Health Authority to conduct a review into the concerns that I have raised and which are outlined on this website.
Although the NHS claims that this is an independent investigation it is of course anything but. While it may be true that David Sissling will undertake the inquirey in a diligent and conscientious manner and will be supported in this endeavour by Michael Taylor who will be starting the active investigation, the arrangements for disclosing report are far from satisfactory. On the 1st April I received a letter from David Sissling which makes it clear that when his report is completed it will be submitted to the South West London Strategic Health Authority. This action in itself immediately compromises the independence of the report as of course my Member of Parliament Edward Davey has already called for the resignation of Julie Dent the Chief Executive of the South West London Strategic Health Authority in connection with my case which immediately destroys any confidence that the outcome of Sissling's inquiry could be considered to be in any way independent. In addition when I commenced to take legal proceedings against Melvyn Esterman for defamation after he gave false evidence to my NHS disciplinary hearing the South West London Strategic Health Authority stepped in to defend him and in giving evidence to the Employment Tribunal hearing said that both Julie Dent (whom I have only ever met once) and Jim McAuliffe her Director of Finance regularly made adverse comments about me when I was Finance Director of St George's Healthcare NHS Trust. Only the NHS could ignore this information and appoint the South West London Strategic Health Authority as the receiving body for Mr Sissling's report and still claim the investigation is independent. In addition when the report is completed by Mr Sissling his letter confirms that it's contents will not be immediately made public. The South West London Strategic Health Authority will be allowed to consider the report for a period of at least two to three weeks to prepare an initial response before releasing the report in full at an appropriate public meeting. Is this how an organisation that claims to be open and accountable should behave? I leave you to draw your own conclusions. I know what my view is.