BY

EMAIL

Mark Turner, Regional Director, London, Monitor

29 January 2016

Dear Mr Turner,


Monitors approach to Fit and Proper Persons

Thank you for your attached letter of 28 January, in which as I understand it,

1) You indicate that Monitor does not intend to broaden its own definition of Fit
and Proper Persons to match CQCs wider definition under Regulation 5
FPPR, and thus include a requirement for good character. However, you
advise that Monitor will take into account CQC judgments on Fit and Proper
Person issues. I should note here that CQCs stated view is that it is for
regulated organisations to judge the fitness of their directors. Therefore, as I
see it, overall assurance currently rests on trusts processes for determining
their own fitness.

2) Monitor gives no undertaking that in future it will not admit managers who
have been found to have seriously harmed whistleblowers to its interim pool.

3) You indicate that admission to Monitors interim pool is not a form of
preselection for roles at NHS FTs. However as I indicated previously, St
Georges informed me that it took Ms Vasco-Knights membership of
Monitors interim pool to be a form of assurance when it appointed her as
interim Chief Operating Officer. The trust stated in correspondence that
Monitor had recommended Ms Vasco-Knight:

Recommendation from Monitor as a member of their interim pool

If Monitor did indeed actively recommend Ms Vasco-Knight to St. Georges,
this would seem contrary to Monitors assertion that membership of its
interim pool is not a form of endorsement.

a) Please advise if Monitor recommended Ms Vasco-Knight to St. Georges

b) I would be grateful to know if Monitor currently issues clear guidance to
the trusts that membership of its interim pool should not be regarded as a
form of preselection. If so, where may this guidance be found.

c) If Monitor does not issue such advice to trusts, will it now do so.

Yours sincerely,


Dr Minh Alexander

cc

Public Accounts Committee
Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Health Committee
Committee on Standards in Public Life
Rt Hon Sir Anthony Hooper
Sir Robert Francis QC
Secretary of State for Health
Shadow Secretary of State for Health
Dame Eileen Sills Chief Nurse of Guys and St. Thomas NHS Foundation Trust