Stafford hospital boss sacked over cover-up claims

Kate Levy, head of legal services and secretary to the board at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, was dismissed today after a disciplinary hearing.
She was suspended while an independent investigator looked at allegations she asked an A & E consultant to change his damning report into the death of John Moore-Robinson, in order to avoid bad publicity for the trust.

Mr Robinson from Coalville was rushed to Stafford Hospital after a mountain-bike accident in April 2006. Staff at A & E failed to spot he had a ruptured spleen. He was discharged with painkillers and died alone at home within 24 hours.

Mr Robinson’s parents, Frank and Janet, discovered a letter from Kate Levy to an A and E consultant, in a bundle of documents they received ahead of the private inquiry into deaths at Stafford Hospital.

In the letter Kate Levy asked the doctor to remove incriminating passages from his report, including his admission that “there is a high probability that the level of care delivered to Mr Moore-Robinson was negligent.”

Mrs Levy wrote, “As reports are generally read out in full at the inquest and press and family, with a view to avoiding further distress to the family and adverse publicity I would wish to avoid stressing possible failures on the part of the trust.”

The report was never sent to the coroner.

In a statement the chairman of the hospital trust said: “A disciplinary hearing took place today to consider the actions of Kate Levy, the Trust Board Secretary.

The Trust appointed an independent person Michael Taylor to carry out an investigation into the way in which Ms Levy handled the case of John Moore Robinson following his tragic death. This came to light following disclosure of information to the Francis Inquiry earlier this year.

The decision of the hearing was that Ms Levy should be summarily dismissed. I can confirm she no longer works for the Trust.

We sincerely regret that the actions of our staff caused additional distress to the family of John Moore-Robinson and we hope that this demonstrates our determination to hold our staff to account for their actions.”

Frank and Janet Robinson told Channel 4 News, “We’re pleased and relieved that people are now being held accountable for their actions at Stafford Hospital. We feel there should be a new inquest into John’s death.”

Mr and Mrs Robinson are also taking legal advice with a view to civil action against the trust.

On Wednesday, Cure the NHS, a group of relatives of some of the 400 patients who died needlessly in appalling conditions at Stafford between 2005 and 2008, won their fight for a full, independent inquiry.

The prime minister announced a wide-ranging inquiry which will investigate the failure of the NHS regulatory bodies to spot the high mortality rates at Stafford Hospital, and their failure to intervene.