CONCERNS have been raised over an NHS trust after a report suggested it should face a public investigation.

County bosses have been urged to consider an independent report on Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, the provider of mental health services across the south of England.

The independent report by Nigel Pascoe QC, looked into the deaths of four people between 2012 and 2015.

Mr Pascoe said there had been “significant, serious and deeply regrettable failures” which had caused “real and long-lasting harm”.

But Southern Health said it had “made significant changes” since the period covered by the report.

Mr Pascoe said there are indications of a “greater willingness throughout the trust to listen and learn from the catastrophic mistakes that were made”.

But he added that what had been presented to him is a “truly deplorable and unacceptable saga”.

He recommended a limited public investigation to review the action taken by the trust and see if the concerns raised have been addressed.

In January, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the trust as good, saying improvements had been made.

But at the meeting of the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee held at Hampshire County Council last week, members were asked to not only consider the CQC report but also look at the independent report by Mr Pascoe.

Initially just the CQC report was featured on the agenda.

Geoff Hill, from the Forum for Justice, Accountability and Equality at Southern Health, said: “It is deeply concerning that members are asked to note only the CQC report’s findings and the improved rating of good.

“Yet members are not asked to note the findings of a truly independent report by an eminent QC.

“How can members take the CQC report seriously when, simultaneously, an eminent QC recommends a public inquiry into the trust’s current conduct?”

Councillor Alan Dowden urged members to take action.

“It worries me,” he added. “We are the select committee and we must do something.”

Cllr David Harrison asked the committee to make sure that Southern Health bosses would attend a future meeting to answer questions.

More details on the inquiry will be released by NHS Improvement, which commissioned the report.

By Maria Zaccaro (LDRS)