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By Fiona
Scott, Coventry Evening Telegraph
The case of suspended surgeon Raj Mattu will be raised in
Parliament tomorrow by four MPs in Coventry and
Warwickshire when they question a health minister about
Walsgrave Hospital.
Coventry South MP Jim Cunningham will be joined by
Coventry North West MP Geoffrey Robinson, Rugby and
Kenilworth MP Andy King and Warwick and Leamington MP
James Plaskitt in the debate.
They plan to ask a series of searching questions about
how much progress has been made to rectify the poor
relationships between consultants and managers which some
consultants claim amount to a "climate of fear".
Dr Mattu is suspended while the hospital investigates
claims of harassment and intimidation. Mr Robinson has
already written to Health Secretary Alan Milburn urging
him to get the case dealt with quickly.
The 11&Mac2182-hour adjournment debate will be held
in Westminster Hall and Yvette Cooper is likely to be the
minister answering them. Tory front bench MP Caroline
Spelman (Meriden) may join them.
It is the second time the four Labour MPs have raised
Walsgrave Hospital in Parliament. Last November they were
among eight who called for David Loughton, chief
executive of University Hospitals Coventry and
Warwickshire NHS Trust, to resign.
This time they do not need to call for his head as he
announced his resignation on March 7.
But they want to highlight issues from the poor
Commission for Health Improvement report which led to
that call - in particular criticisms about staff
relations. They see Dr Mattu's suspension as part of that
problem.
Last week CHI's interim report said limited progress had
been made in addressing "the poor relationships
between some medical staff and senior managers and within
some clinical teams".
The MPs also want to know why CHI's interim report was
delayed from January to March, and why the PFI deal for
the new superhospital has not yet been signed.
