Bullying complaint in hospital cuts battle

A formal complaint has been lodged with North Yorkshire County Council against John Blackie and Stuart Parsons over allegations they have adopted an overly aggressive approach while attending public consultation meetings to debate the proposed shake-up of maternity services at Northallerton’s Friarage Hospital.

Both councillors refuted the claims and maintained the NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which made the complaint, is “running scared” of growing evidence the proposed changes do not need to be enforced.

Coun Blackie has been spearheading a fact-finding mission to hospitals in Scotland and the South-West of England to collate data to prove that keeping full maternity services at the Friarage would cost a fraction of the predicted £2.7m.

Coun Blackie, a member of North Yorkshire County Council and Richmondshire District Council’s leader, claimed he has only had “huge support” after speaking at the three meetings he has attended. He is due to join Richmond MP William Hague, who has also been a vocal opponent to the proposed changes, for a meeting with Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt next week when their concerns over the Friarage Hospital’s future will be raised.

Coun Blackie said: “There appears to be an attempt to discredit both myself and Coun Parsons. I do not believe it is a coincidence that the complaint has been lodged as I am about to raise the issue with the Secretary of State. I do think it is a cheap shot, and the CCG appears to be running scared of the arguments which we are putting forward.”

The next consultation meeting will be held in Hawes this evening, and Coun Blackie confirmed he will be attending.

Coun Parsons, a member of both the county council and the Richmondshire district authority, admitted “passionate” views had been expressed at a meeting in Richmond. But he maintained he had spoken to several members of the public who also attended the meeting, and no-one felt he was guilty of bullying and intimidation.

He said: “I am amazed that a formal complaint has been made. If I had done something wrong, then I would apologise, but I believe that simply isn’t the case.”

Both Coun Parsons and Coun Blackie were accused and subsequently cleared by the Standards Board for England of bullying officers at Richmondshire District Council in 2007. Coun Blackie claimed the latest complaint was part of a “campaign of dirty tricks” which played on the previous allegations.

The planned overhaul would see the end of 24-hour consultant cover for paediatrics at the Friarage Hospital, which would have a knock-on impact on maternity care. NHS leaders have claimed consultant-led services are not clinically sustainable owing to staffing and recruitment issues. But the plans have provoked an outcry as pregnant women due to have complicated births would have to travel to other hospitals as far afield as Darlington and Middlesbrough.

The CCG declined to comment on the bullying allegations yesterday.

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