         |
Background to the Suspension of Dr Raj Mattu
35. Dr Lencioni's actions contravene the data protection act and compromised patient confidentially, as Dr Mattu held data with patient consent and in accordance with agreements with the ethics committee.
36. Mr Needham raised a formal complaint about the actions of Dr Lencioni on 3 June 2002, but to date no comment has been made about this matter and the deleted files and data by the Trust.
37. On 31 May 2002 the contracts of both Mr Needham and Dr Lencioni ended.
38. Mr Needham's contract was renewed annually, as were all his research team's contracts. However, despite Dr Mattu's clearly expressed wish to renew Mr Needham's contract, and adequate funding being identified in February 2002 (as assured by the Director of Finance) this was not renewed. Indeed, Janet Jones from Warwick University stated in February 2002 that the Trust had reported that there were insufficient funds to renew Mr Needham's contract.
39. Unbeknown to Dr Mattu, the contract of Dr Lencioni had ended because he resigned from Dr Mattu's research team in order to work for another Consultant Cardiologist, Dr Been (an individual who had made and been manifestly involved with five formal complaints against Dr Mattu in the past, tried to recruit support to hire a private detective against Dr Mattu, and who has phoned a number of NHS staff working at other Trusts during Dr Mattu's suspension, to encourage them to raise complaints against Dr Mattu). Dr Been as previously stated had been tasked by the Trust to investigate the CV of Dr Gieowarsingh.
40. After many requests by Dr Mattu, his representative and his solicitor for sight of the statements by Drs Gieowarsingh and Lencioni, which contained the allegations to which Dr Mattu was expected to respond, the Trust finally released them. Dr Mattu received them on 26 August 2002 (6 months after suspension).
41. Dr Shane Gieowarsingh and Dr Mauro Lencioni are the two key witnesses in the allegations against Dr Mattu. There are however very serious issues surrounding these two doctors, raising concerns about their integrity and therefore reliability as witnesses.
42. Importantly, the actions of Dr LJ Booth (Joint Medical Director) are also of some considerable concern. Some of these concerns are set out below.
43. In November 2001, Mr Loughton promoted Dr LJ Booth to the post of Joint Medical Director, giving him an increase in his salary. Dr Booth was a very strong supporter of Dr Gieowarsingh, and it was due to this extremely open and emphatic support that Dr Mattu agreed to provide Dr Gieowarsingh the chance to undertake research for a higher degree with him.
44. From February 2001 till November 2001, Dr Gieowarsingh held an honorary appointment with Dr Mattu, whereby he did not receive a salary. It was only after Dr Booth's promotion that the Trust progressed Dr Gieowarsingh into a salaried post. Prior to this Dr Gieowarsingh had supported himself financially by investing in the stock markets, and he spent freely, purchasing a new four bed-roomed detached house and all the furnishings despite having no salary.
On behalf of Dr Raj Mattu Reinstatement Committee,
PO Box 2912, Coventry. CV1 3YX
For more information contact: mail@drmrc.co.uk