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By Gareth
Lewis, Coventry Evening Telegraph
A hospital consultant has been suspended amid allegations
of bullying in a new blow for the trust which runs Rugby’s
St Cross hospital.
The allegations against Dr Raj Mattu, a consultant
cardiologist with the University Hospitals Coventry and
Warwickshire NHS Trust, are now being investigated.
A statement given by the trust said: “University
Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust can confirm
that Dr Raj Kumar Mattu has been suspended while
allegations of harassment and intimidation are being
investigated.
“As these matters are confidential it would not be
appropriate to comment further.”
Dr Mattu hit out at the trust last year following the
damning Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) report.
The report identified a dangerous practice of having five
people in bays designed for four saying it meant access
to gases and equipment was affected for patients.
Following the report Dr Mattu said the practice had
contributed to two deaths. The practice was stopped as a
matter of routine at the end of August.
The suspension comes as a fresh blow to the hospital
which received a mixed report this week from the latest
NHS indicators.
The indicators, which grade trusts on 28 different
aspects of overall performance, including clinical care,
waiting times and cleanliness, again highlight problems
with death rates, in particular for heart bypass and
emergency surgery.
