THE trust that runs Basingstoke and Andover hospitals has hired a former police officer to investigate patient safety incidents.

The Telegraph reported that Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) is one of several NHS hospitals to employ former police officers but said campaigners have warned that the move risks discouraging whistleblowers.

HHFT confirmed to The Telegraph that a role it advertised earlier this year for a ‘patient safety incident investigator’ to join its new ‘centralised patient safety investigation team’ had been given to a former police officer.

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It also confirmed that a second former officer had recently been employed by the trust in a family liaison role.

It did not say whether either person had any medical or clinical training.

The Telegraph reported that a leading patient group had called on the NHS to be transparent about exactly how such personnel are being used, “given the ongoing concerns about how such roles interact with whistleblowers”.

Paul Whiteing, the chief executive of the charity Action Against Medical Accidents (AvMA), told The Telegraph: “We at AvMA welcome any steps taken by trusts to professionalise the investigation of patient safety incidents. This is long overdue.

“But given the ongoing concerns about how such roles interact with whistleblowers, to maintain trust and confidence of all of the staff trusts need to be clear, open and transparent about why they are making such appointments and the role and duties of those they employ to fulfil them, whatever their backgrounds.”

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HHFT has just been involved in an employment tribunal for its handling of a member of staff who raised clinical concerns.

Dr Martyn Pitman, a leading gynaecologist and obstetrician, claimed that he was sacked after raising concerns of clinical negligence in the case of a woman who died during childbirth in 2021. HHFT denies the allegations.

Julie Dawes, chief nurse at HHFT, said: “The safety of our patients is always our number one priority and, in line with the national strategy on patient safety, we are currently implementing the new Patient Safety and Incident Response Framework at Hampshire Hospitals.

“This framework is designed to strengthen investigations to ensure better learning around patient safety incidents, recognising the value of qualified and highly-skilled investigators as well as family liaison officers as part of any incident response.

“We have made these appointments based upon best practice, ensuring we deliver high-quality investigations carried out by experienced individuals whose skills can be transferred throughout a variety of clinical environments. They will be aided by clinical advisors to deliver the right response to incidents.”

“This role relates to patient safety incident investigations; it sits within a clinical team, not HR, and will not carry out HR investigations.”