Whistleblower says management at Birmingham NHS Trust needs to change

One of the whistleblowers who helped prompt reviews into the culture at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust says he doesn't think change will happen with the current management. 

Dr Emmanouil Nikolousis was one of the people who spoke out about problems with the culture at UHB.

He worked as a consultant initially with Hartlands Hospital and then within the merged UHB Trust, but left at the end of 2020 saying that his position had become untenable.

His concerns about what he described as the 'toxic culture' in Birmingham helped prompt three reviews to be set up.

The first of those reported back on Tuesday, describing  'disturbing' reports of bullying, a 'toxic atmosphere' and coercive leadership. It said that if that is not fixed, then patients could be put at risk.

Speaking to ITV News, Dr Nikilousis, said that he was pleased that the Trust has accepted the review, but that he doesn't believe change will happen until senior management does too.

'I am not confident that this particular senior management team can implement the change. I want to see change within the executive and non-executive level.'

There has been some change. Professor David Rosser was Chief Executive of the Trust from September 2018 to December last year.

Yesterday he announced his retirement from his role as the region's strategic director for digital health and care. 

But Dr Nikilousis says that change isn't enough.

The new Chief Executive is Jonathan Brotherton, who took over when Professor Rosser left, insists that he is the right man for the job. 

'I believe that the work I am doing at the moment will help take the organisation. forward and resolve many of the issues, if not all of the issues that have been outlined in the report.'

Two more reviews into the Trust are due out later this year.