A CQC report during Mr Fathers’ time as the chair of the board at NHFT referenced the fact that he also held several other jobs outside of the trust.
The report said: “The chair was on various boards outside of the trust. The impact of this resulted in some loss of leadership focus and action within the trust.”
Asked about this, Mr Fathers says: “I don’t think that was criticism of me personally. Those boards were all associated with my role as chair of the trust.
Dean Fathers, the former chair of NHFT(Image: Nottingham Inquiry)
“I was on the board of NHS Providers, I was nominated by the previous chief executive to go on that to represent the trust.
“Prior to that, I’d been on the board of the Mental Health Network, this wasn’t a new thing.
“This is something I had had to do for 8 years and it had never impacted negatively on the trust in any way, shape or form.
“I have to not be beholden on my salary within the NHS for my only livelihood because that puts me in jeopardy of being able to make critical judgements and if need be, resign on principle, if I found bad practice. I had to actually maintain my livelihood elsewhere.
“I think at that time there is no evidence that I did anything which prevented the board from being well led.” Mr Fathers was expected to work up to 10 days per month in his NHFT role, but says the amount of time he worked was “far in excess of that requirement.”