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Background to the Suspension of Dr Raj Mattu
The Observer 18th November 2001
1. The NHS Trust referred to herein as the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust (formerly Walsgrave Hospitals NHS Trust).
2. Previous suspension of Consultant Surgeon Mr Alban Barros D'Sa after raising clinical concerns regarding increased death rates associated with colorectal surgery. Suspension lasted 20 months at estimated cost of over £500,000. Reinstated after Trust lost High Court hearing and Appeal Court hearing. The Royal College of Surgeons shared his concerns and recommended the cessation of that particular type of surgery by the specific surgeon (a Clinical Director Appointed by the Chief Executive) about whom Mr Barros D'Sa had expressed concerns. The Trust allowed this surgeon to continue performing these procedures for over two and a half years after concerns were first raised, and even after a statement in the House of Commons by the Junior Health Minister (Gisella Stuart) on 27 March 2001 that only designated Surgeons would perform these procedures from 1 April 2001. This surgeon continued to perform these procedures until November 2001.
3. In May 2001 the Consultants held a vote on a motion of no confidence in the Trust Board's administration of the disciplinary process. This vote was administered by the Electoral Reform Society. Two thirds of votes supported the no confidence motion. The Trust did not respond. The Senior Hospital Medical Staff Committee wrote to Mr Alan Milburn MP. He did not respond.
4. Dr Mattu, a Consultant Cardiologist, repeatedly raised concerns about the persistent placement of 5 patients in bays designed and equipped for 4 patients and subsequent deaths. Other consultants raised similar concerns, one of who raised over 100 formal clinical incident reports regarding this. In addition the largest clinical department in the hospital (Anaesthetics) expressed concerns and unilaterally refused to continue the practice. The practice remained official hospital policy until condemned by the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) in a report described by the head of CHI as the worst that they had ever produced on a hospital Trust.
5. In May 2001 the Chief Executive, with support from the former Trust Chairman, Mr Gary Reay, stated before witnesses that he wished to get rid of Dr Mattu and four other Consultants. All these consultants had raised concerns about patient safety and also openly supported the reinstatement of Mr Alban Barros D'Sa. Dr Mattu and his colleagues were accused of being troublemakers and it was declared that the Trust had to get rid of troublemakers.
6. Mr Loughton, Chief Executive, subsequently declared to Mr Campion, Deputy Director Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association, that he wished to ruin Dr Mattu's career altogether, claiming "we are not just interested in giving him (Dr Mattu) a parking ticket, we want to get him off the road altogether".
7. The smear campaign against Dr Mattu was further evidenced during a separate declaration by the former Director of Personnel, Mr Faulkner, to Mr Campion in May 2001, when it was confirmed that the Trust intended to get rid of Dr Mattu.
8. Mr Campion confirms that Mr Faulkner also spontaneously proceeded to undermine Dr Mattu by criticising his competence as a doctor, claiming Dr Mattu was involved in fraud, sexual assault and harassment, physical assault and many other misdemeanors, asserting that Dr Mattu was under investigation by the Fraud Squad, and a 'bad type' and of poor character.
On behalf of Dr Raj Mattu Reinstatement Committee,
PO Box 2912, Coventry. CV1 3YX
For more information contact: mail@drmrc.co.uk