Patient safety is jeopardized without enhanced protections for NHS whistleblowers, warns Maxwell Mclean, a former health service chair who alleges he was ousted from his role after voicing concerns about investigations into preventable infant deaths.
Mclean, the ex-chair of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, criticised the NHS for what he perceives as a mockery of its whistleblowing policies.
Mclean highlighted several troubling issues at the trust, notably extensive delays in probing neonatal deaths and the disregard for a suicidal staff member’s plight.
These concerns were partially validated by an independent investigation, following which Mclean claims he was compelled to resign under pressure from other board members.
He is now preparing to take his case to an employment tribunal in Leeds, claiming wrongful termination of his contract.
During his tenure, which began in 2019 after a lengthy career with the West Yorkshire Police, Mclean raised alarms about the protracted timelines for investigating newborn deaths, citing cases where reviews took up to 14 months against the NHS England‘s guideline of 60 days.
He also flagged several critical incidents within a 12-day period in April 2021, resulting in the deaths of two babies and severe disability for another.
Further issues brought to light by Mclean included the neglect of staff wellbeing and the failure to implement essential health inequality strategies.
Following an independent review completed in September 2023, Mclean was reportedly ousted two weeks later for his persistent whistleblowing efforts.
His resignation letter accused the trust’s leadership of covering up serious failings and expressed his unwillingness to collaborate with a CEO resistant to necessary changes.
In a separate report, an internal investigation revealed that two infants died in 2021 at the Bradford Royal Infirmary’s neonatal intensive care unit from a bacterial outbreak linked to poor hygiene practices, findings that led to legal action by at least one bereaved family.
Despite these issues, recent reviews by NHS England and the West Yorkshire NHS ICB have praised the trust’s neonatal services for safe, high-quality care.
The trust extended its condolences to the families affected and affirmed the completion of corrective actions, including enhanced infection control measures and staff training.
However, it declined to comment on Mclean’s specific whistleblowing allegations. Labour MP for Bradford West, Naz Shah, has attributed the incidents to a significant leadership failure at the trust.
Meanwhile, the last inspection by the Care Quality Commission gave mixed reviews, rating the trust’s neonatal services as outstanding, but its maternity services as requiring improvement.
