Execs accused of ‘bullying culture and misuse of power’

The accusations, which have been made in an employment tribunal case, relate to former chief executive Melanie Craig and other former executives at what was then Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group. Ms Craig now leads Suffolk Community Foundation, a local voluntary sector organisation.

The claims have been made by a former long-standing assistant director for mental health services, Clive Rennie, who has claimed unfair dismissal. However, the integrated care board said it disputes the claims and is defending the case.

In a witness statement to the tribunal, which began this week, Mr Rennie alleges there was an “authoritarian and dictatorial style of management” and described a “culture of bullying and misuse of power that had emerged under the leadership of Melanie Craig and which included the executive team”.

Mr Rennie claimed other staff members, including senior managers, agreed with his concerns about the organisation’s culture.

His dismissal related to a period when the five clinical commissioning groups in Norfolk were being restructured into one organisation, ahead of the creation of the ICBs.

His case is linked to that of another former manager, Anne-Marie Schofield, because, the tribunal heard, they were both “ring-fenced” for the last remaining role at their level in the new organisation, which was head of mental health. She is also a claimant in this tribunal.

They said they were assured by John Webster, then the CCG’s director of strategic commissioning, that Ms Schofield was the preferred candidate for the role and Mr Rennie would get his preferred option of leaving the organisation with a redundancy agreement.

In an opening statement the claimant’s counsel, Neil Ashley, director of employment law firm Paladin-Knight, said Mr Webster had “reneged upon his agreement”, and with the HR team from Arden and GEM CSU, conspired “in the most devious and unpleasant manner, to defeat Mr Rennie’s grievance [about the reneging] through a sham grievance process; and in the process, unceremoniously sacking Ms Schofield in an effort to achieve its unlawful plan”.

The ICB did not contest an unfair dismissal claim from Ms Schofield, which was brought to the tribunal last year. Damages are now due to be considered in her case as part of this tribunal.

However, Mr Webster’s witness statement to the tribunal said the CCG ran a fair recruitment process and correct protocols were followed. He said Mr Rennie was deemed by the recruitment panel as the better candidate for the post and was never promised a redundancy deal.

Mr Webster is now deputy CEO at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust.

Steve Stavrinou who was head of the CSU’s HR team at the time, has told the tribunal all correct procedures were adhered to.

The tribunal hearing continues.

Ms Craig has not submitted a witness statement to the tribunal. HSJ has attempted to contact her via her current employer, Suffolk Community Foundation, and has alerted the ICB’s legal representatives Capsticks to these efforts. At the time of publication, neither Ms Craig nor SCF had responded.