• West Suffolk chief Steve Dunn steps down
  • Move comes with troubled trust awaiting publication of probe into allegations that senior leaders bullied staff to try to identify whistleblower
  • Chair: “We thank him for his commitment and leadership over the last seven years”

The chief executive at Matt Hancock’s local troubled trust, where leaders have been accused of bullying staff during a ‘witch hunt’ for a whistleblower, is to leave the post, HSJ can reveal.

Steve Dunn will step down as West Suffolk Foundation Trust chief later this summer, the trust confirmed after being approached by HSJ. 

Deputy chief executive Craig Black will step up to interim chief following Mr Dunn’s departure.

Mr Dunn said in a statement: “This last 18 months has presented operational, structural and cultural challenges within the trust, with a challenging Care Quality Commission inspection locally and the overwhelming impact of the pandemic taking a toll on us all.

“I have been thinking about my position for some time but felt it was my duty to our amazing staff to lead the trust through one of the most difficult times that it had ever faced.”

The move follows HSJ revealing in April the trust’s medical director and chief operating officer, who were both in post during the period the bullying allegations were made, were also vacating their positions.

Nick Jenkins said he was stepping down as medical director for personal reasons, and the need to care for an unwell family member, while Helen Beck is retiring in November.

A trust statement said: “West Suffolk Foundation Trust has today announced to staff that Mr Stephen Dunn is to step down from his role as chief executive.” He was in post for seven years.

HSJ has also learned publication of the hugely delayed official review into allegations the trust’s leadership bullied staff to try to find out who leaked confidential patient information has been pushed back again.

The high-profile review, by Christie FT chair Christine Outram, was set up to investigate the “handling and circumstances surrounding concerns raised in a letter that was sent in October 2018, to the relative of a patient who had died in the Suffolk hospital” (see box for full timeline).

The whistleblower’s letter was sent to the family of Susan Warby, 57, who died at West Suffolk Hospital in August 2018 after suffering multi-organ failure and other complications. The letter’s anonymous author raised serious concerns about her treatment by the trust.

The review was termed a “rapid assessment” when it was launched in February 2020 and was first due in April 2020. But it will now only be submitted to NHS England and Improvement in late October, a source familiar with the process told HSJ.

Allegations about bullying by the trust leadership have been raised in relation to the events, including by the Royal College of Anaesthetists, in relation to some of its members who work at the trust, and by the Doctors Association UK. 

Timeline of West Suffolk bullying allegations

  • July 2018: Susan Warby, 57, was admitted to West Suffolk Hospital with a perforated bowel on 26 July and died on 30 August of multi-organ failure and other complications.
  • October 2018: Ms Warby’s family received an anonymous letter highlighting errors in her surgery.
  • January 2020: Ms Warby’s widower Jon Warby, and unions, raise concerns to The Times about an alleged “witch hunt” by the trust to find out the identity of the letter’s author. It emerged the trust spent £968 on a handwriting expert and £1,512 on a fingerprint expert as part of a wide-ranging investigation.
  • Ministers order a “rapid and independent” review into the allegations the same month, while the Care Quality Commission announces it is stripping the trust of its “outstanding” rating and taking the highly unusual step of demoting it two rungs to “requires improvement”. CQC chief inspector of hospitals Ted Baker said the style of “executive leadership did not represent or demonstrate an open and empowering culture [and] there was an evident disconnect between the executive team and some consultants”.
  • September 2020: Coroner’s inquest concludes Ms Warby’s death was “contributed to by unnecessary insulin treatment” during bowel surgery, while senior figures told HSJ they expected the review to be published by December.
  • April 2021: HSJ reveals MD Nick Jenkins and COO Helen Beck, who were both in post during the period the bullying allegations were made, are vacating their positions.
  • July 2021: HSJ reveals Mr Dunn’s imminent departure and the fresh delay to publication of the ministerial-commissioned independent review.

Trust chair Sheila Childerhouse said in a statement: “Steve has led the organisation with passion and dedication. Together we have seen many successes, including securing the funding for our new hospital building and the integration of community services within the trust. He has also helped us through more turbulent times recently, including navigating through the covid-19 pandemic.”

Mr Dunn said in a statement: “I joined the trust seven years ago when it was a standalone hospital. We were uncertain of our future, whether we would be merged with other local hospitals and lose essential services that local people depend on. Instead, we developed our strategy and mission to deliver the best care for our community, and began integrating community and GP services.

“We were one of the first digital exemplar trusts and we have massively invested in our facilities and people with an upgraded emergency department, a new acute assessment unit, cardiac centre, urology unit, and staff accommodation. Most recently we have secured the guarantee of a new hospital building for the people of West Suffolk.”

He added: “However, this last 18 months has presented operational, structural and cultural challenges within the trust, with a challenging Care Quality Commission inspection locally and the overwhelming impact of the pandemic taking a toll on us all. I have been thinking about my position for some time but felt it was my duty to our amazing staff to lead the trust through one of the most difficult times that it had ever faced.

“The trust needs to keep moving forward on its journey of improvement. So now is the right time to step down, as we emerge from this brutal pandemic and refresh our strategy for the future. For me personally, it is a time to step back and use my knowledge of the trust and my previous experience to contribute to national policy making across the health and care sector.

“West Suffolk is a brilliant place to work and has wonderful, committed staff. I have loved working here, but it is now the right time – after seven years and as we look towards a new hospital – to hand over the reins to ensure we maintain momentum on the journey of improvement.”

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