Annex A > Chapter 16 - Support and Counselling > Helen Stratton > Appointment
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Appointment
235 As to her reasons for applying for the post, Miss Stratton said:
`I had worked with distressed and bereaved relatives, and I wanted to develop my career in another area.
`When I saw the advert for the new cardiac liaison post at the BRI, I thought this was a good opportunity to use my clinical background and to gain an insight into working for a charity.' [297]
236 Helen Stratton was appointed as Cardiac Liaison Nurse in October 1990, and took up the post in November 1990.
237 In her written statement Miss Stratton told the Inquiry that she did not know whether Mrs Vegoda had been made aware of her role before her appointment:
`... I am unclear as to whether this new role had been discussed with her prior to my appointment. At my interview I was told that there was a paediatric counsellor at the BCH and I did not know that she was specifically a cardiac children's counsellor until after I was appointed and went to the BCH to meet the cardiac nursing staff. I met Helen Vegoda and had thought that she covered the whole of the BCH. It was only then that I discovered that she only covered the cardiac children and parents. She seemed quite defensive and questioned me about what exactly I would be doing. In retrospect she may have felt threatened by my appointment, and both she and I were somewhat confused by our respective roles and where the boundaries of these lay.' [298]
238 She subsequently told the Inquiry:
`... when I met Helen Vegoda, she probably did not have an accurate understanding of what my role was going to be, and I perhaps had a misperception of what her role was at the time. I was told there was a counsellor at the Children's Hospital who looked after the parents before I commenced the job ...' [299]
239 By contrast, Mrs Vegoda told the Inquiry of various discussions she had with Miss Stratton prior to Miss Stratton's appointment. She said:
`I cannot remember the details of our conversations. I do remember that Helen Stratton contacted me. I did not know her. She contacted me because she had either seen the job advert, or I am not even sure it was not before the job advert came out, and she wanted to talk about my role and she wanted to know about cardiac services in the Children's Hospital generally and on Ward 5.
`I cannot remember whether we talked very specifically about how the two posts would marry together, but I do know that we met, I think, a few times and we also talked about her actual interview and the areas that she might be asked questions on.' [300]
She stated in her written evidence:
`Helen Stratton first contacted me in July 1990 and there are several entries in my diary for June, July, September and October 1990 referring to meetings or contact with her, all prior to her interview and taking up her post ... Helen Stratton would therefore have been fully aware of my role in BCH/BRI with cardiac children and their families. I welcomed Helen Stratton's selection for interview, gave her support prior to this, and was enthusiastic about her appointment.' [301]
240 Miss Stratton was referred to Mrs Vegoda's diary that had an entry for 20 July 1990: [302] `11:30, Helen Stratton'. Miss Stratton's evidence included the following exchange:
`Q. Did you speak to her by phone before you took that appointment?
`A. I cannot recall meeting her, and I cannot recall a phone call.
`Q. She says it happened. Is that probably right?
`A. I cannot comment. I cannot remember it.
`Q. The next diary extract that she gives us, she tells us that she spoke to you or saw you before October ... "1:00pm. Helen S in room" ... So very shortly after, if you began on the Monday, which you might have done, two days later, did you, do you think, meet Helen Vegoda?
`A. Yes, probably, because I probably thought it was important that we had an opportunity to discuss our roles'. [303]
241 Although Mrs Vegoda had asked whether she could assist in preparing Miss Stratton's job description or sit in on her interview, she was told that this was neither appropriate nor possible. [304] She said that she was not formally consulted about the creation of Miss Stratton's post or about her appointment, but when she became aware that the post was being set up she was both surprised and concerned:
`I asked to see Jean Pratten because I was concerned. I felt quite confused and I did not quite understand what was going on. I went to see Jean, she was very clear that this post was going to be based on Ward 5. The person appointed would have a nursing background, and therefore the two posts would complement one another, but we would be doing very different jobs, on different bases and with different professional backgrounds. I was very satisfied with that.' [305]
242 On that basis Mrs Vegoda said:
`... there was no question in my mind that there would be any difficulty about the post marrying in.' [306]
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Footnotes
[297] WIT 0256 0001 Miss Stratton
[298] WIT 0256 0005 Miss Stratton
[299] T46 p.44-5 Miss Stratton
[301] WIT 0256 0015 Mrs Vegoda
[302] WIT 0256 0016 Mrs Vegoda
[303] T46 p.80-1 Miss Stratton
[304] T47 p.123 Mrs Vegoda was unable to confirm, for certain, who told her it was inappropriate