Fareham MP chairs Southern Health meeting in Parliament

Fareham MP Suella Fernandes has chaired a meeting in Parliament with the senior executives of Southern Health Foundation NHS Trust to question them following recent criticism in an independent report.

Suella, who leads on health issues for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Hampshire, called the meeting to give MPs in the affected areas the chance to air their concerns and hear from the Trust what measures they are taking.
The Mazars report in December contained criticism of the Trust and its board over its handling of the reporting and investigation of deaths in its care.

Southern Health Chief Executive Katrina Percy and Medical Director Lesley Stevens spoke at the meeting which was attended by MPs including Kit Malthouse (North West Hampshire), Alan Mak (Havant), Maria Miller (Basingstoke) and Caroline Dinenage (Gosport). Other MPs such as Penny Mordaunt (Portsmouth North), Flick Drummond (Portsmouth South) and George Hollingbery (Meon Valley) were also represented.

Speaking after the meeting, Suella said:

‘We had a useful meeting, and I’m grateful to Southern for engaging with my Hampshire colleagues and me on this issue. We were able to put some of the questions we have following the Mazars report into the Trust, and hear from them the steps they are taking to improve how they handle these cases.