RCN Responds To Findings Of The Investigation Into Former Nurse David Britten

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 16 Jul 2008 - 15:00 PDT

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Commenting on the findings of the investigation into David Britten and the Peter Dally Clinic, Former Chief Executive of CNWL NHS Trust and now Chief Executive & General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, Dr Peter Carter, said:

"The findings of this investigation are overall very welcome.

"The report sets out that Britten systematically abused many women over a twenty year period. I know that my former colleagues in the CNWL Trust will be taking the findings of the report seriously.

"As someone who has worked in the NHS for over 30 years, I find it astonishing that Britten's conduct was allowed to have prevailed for the past two decades.

"However, I feel proud to have led an organisation that within a year of taking responsibility for the Peter Dally Clinic exposed Britten's behaviour, which led to his dismissal and removal from the nursing register.

"There is a broader issue here that warrants further comment and there are lessons for the NHS as a whole to learn from what the CNWL Trust inherited at the Peter Dally Clinic.

"David Britten is an evil man whose actions have caused immense distress to the women he so badly abused. However, his conduct was compounded by a failure of successive line managers over nearly 20 years who failed to manage and supervise him and the clinic. As a consequence Britten was able to abuse women with a sense of impunity and arrogance. The report demonstrates that he was in abusive relationships with many women simultaneously over many years. Had his then managers carried out their responsibilities the abuse could have been stopped.

Among the many lessons that are to be learnt and should be shared more widely in the NHS and in other healthcare sectors, are the following.

1. Managers should walk the job and see with their own eyes what is going on.
2. Managers should talk with patients.
3. Appraisals must be conducted for all staff.
4. Exit interviews must be conducted for all leavers.
5. All patient complaints should be treated seriously and healthcare professionals should avoid 'pathologising' patients when they raise concerns.
6. Allegations must be properly investigated. If the allegations that were made in 1998 had been properly investigated Britten's conduct might well have been revealed at that time.

Notes

Dr Peter Carter was the Chief Executive of Central and North West London NHS Trust until January 2007 when he became Chief Executive & General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing.

The report acknowledges that in his role as Chief Executive of CNWL NHS Trust, Dr Carter, did everything within his power to uncover the true extent of the abuse and take decisive action to address the situation. In particular, the report highlights that:

- In the face of considerable pressure from families, staff, MPs and other supporting Britten, the Trust Board - on the advice of Peter Carter - closed the Peter Dally Clinic in May 2001.

- Dr Peter Carter responded appropriately when reports of sexual abuse were brought to his attention, by setting up support mechanisms for individual patients. Dr Carter also acknowledged the trust's liability and met victims and their families and made it clear that the trust accepted responsibility and wished to settle their claims.

Royal College of Nursing