HEALTH Trust middle managers were accused of trying to restrict patients' watchdogs as a row erupted over hospital inspections.

Community Health Council chairman Frank Clifford cancelled an informal meeting with trust chiefs after accusing them of again trying to force the issue of unannounced visits to hospital wards on to the agenda.

But Trust chairman Brian Foster raised the matter as "urgent" business at the Trust Board meeting yesterday, explaining it was the only way to raise the issue of reviewing visit protocol.

But Coun Clifford told him: "We have had unannounced visits with the agreement of the Trust for in excess of five years, they have been successful and have caused no problems to my knowledge.

"I believe they are enshrined in law and the CHC can see no reason for change."

Coun Clifford said he was aware that some middle line managers were unhappy that they were having to explain to their seniors problems CHC visitors had found on wards and they were uncomfortable with the situation. The CHC, he added, was an effective body and must be allowed to do its job.

Mr Foster said the trust did not wish to prevent unannounced visits, but to make them more effective.

There had been misunderstandings and the aim was to regularise the situation.

The trust's discussion document, thrown out by the health watchdogs last year and re-introduced by Mr Foster at yesterday's board meeting, calls on the CHC to give prior notice of visits and get approval from managers for them to go ahead.

Visits to several areas would only be carried out in the presence of senior officers or service managers, the document suggests.

Coun Clifford said some months ago a middle line manager had jumped the gun by twice preventing CHC observers from carrying out visits and warning things would change in future.

That resulted in finance director David Meakin admitting the manager had got it wrong and giving an assurance that things would not change.

Within weeks, however, the trust produced the discussion document, now the centre of new controversy.

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