Camden New Journal - News: Racism claim NHS board member quits

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Camden New Journal - by TOM FOOTand RICHARD OSLEY
Published: 20 March 2008

Doreen Henry

Racism claim NHS board member quits

Hospital’s committee loses its only black woman

A BOARD member at the Whittington hospital who claimed that she had witnessed “institutionalised discrimination” within the National Health Service has quit her post.
Doreen Henry, the only black woman on the board, has given up her role as a non-executive director at the Highgate hospital.
She was unavailable for comment this week but insiders said tension was growing within the hospital about its drive to achieve foundation status – effectively the right to sell its services and operate independently from government control.
Ms Henry was also known to be privately disgusted at the treatment of former chairman Narendra Makanji, who supporters say was ousted when he was asked to reapply for his job last year.
The Indian-born chairman was replaced with former Ernst & Young management consultant Joe Liddane just before Christmas.
“Doreen has a lot of affection for the hospital but she hasn’t been happy with everything that has happened,” said one source. “She will be very much missed as she has done such great work for the Whittington.”
The Whittington’s attempt to become a foundation hospital has been a divisive issue.
In a staff newsletter published in January Mr Liddane wrote: “We are forging ahead with our Foundation Trust application and the Secretary of State has now approved us progressing to the next stage of the application process. I would like to reassure you that as a Foundation Trust the Whittington will remain an NHS hospital.”
The hospital said Ms Henry had the drive to become a foundation hospital in her mind when she made her decision, although a spokeswoman said she left on good terms.
“In Miss Doreen Henry’s resignation letter to the chairman she said that having seriously considered her position she felt unable to make the commitments necessary in serving on the board as the hospital moves towards becoming a foundation trust,” the spokeswoman said.
“She [Ms Henry] wished the trust every success as it goes forward as a foundation trust.”
Ms Henry’s dissatisfaction, however, was revealed by the New Journal last month after a series of documents and emails were released under the Freedom of Information Act.
In a letter to the NHS appointments committee, she said: “As the only black woman currently serving on the board, prior to Narendra’s appointment and since, I was not totally surprised by this current predicament, given my experience, and the institutionalised discrimination which is clearly still alive and well in the system.
“Despite the fact that a high percentage of staff and patients at the Whittington hospital are from BME [black and minority ethnic] communities, this has not been reflected in the membership of the board or the senior echelons of the staff.”

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