Final Report > Chapter 12: Responses to Concerns and Actions Taken, and Whether Such Actions were Appropriate and Prompt > Responses within the UBH/T > Mrs Maisey

Mrs Maisey

42 We were struck by the evidence we received about Mrs Maisey. She was clearly a very influential figure in the UBH/T, in effect Dr Roylance's adjutant, `his eyes and ears', [41] as it was put to us. She was very much part of the management culture of the UBH/T, a culture which we have described as one of fear. We heard that she described herself as `the Rottweiler of the Trust'. [42] We were told the general managers feared her. [43] Others, particularly nurses on the ward, did not see her as a person to turn to despite the fact that she was the Trust's Nurse Adviser. [44] She gave too great a priority to her responsibilities as Director of Operations. Her ability to carry out her role as Nurse Adviser, so as to provide leadership and support for the nursing staff was thereby significantly and damagingly diminished.

43 We conclude that the nursing staff were let down by Mrs Maisey. As Nurse Adviser to the UBH/T, she should have provided them with support and leadership at Board level and ensured that any concerns that they had were taken seriously. Mrs Maisey failed in her duty to provide this essential leadership. Indeed, her whole approach to management was characterised by seeing herself, and being seen as, a member of `the club', rather than someone charged with nurturing and representing the interests of nursing.

Footnotes

[41] T30 p.38 Mr Durie

[42] T27 p.83 Mrs Ferris

[43] T27 p.81 Mrs Ferris

[44] T32 p.29 Julia Thomas