Dr Minh Alexander retired consultant psychiatrist 16 August 2023
There has been concern about a private company which sells consultancy services to the NHS, the so-called “Good Governance Institute”, and which has employed a former NHS trust director who was sacked following a false claim about his qualifications.
The company has recently been investigated by BBC Newsnight:
Investigating the ‘institute’ making millions from the NHS
Reports by the Good Governance Institute are also of interest at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, where there is a police investigation into deaths and where a former Good Governance Institute Executive Director and Partner later became the Trust’s Chief Governance Officer.
After BBC Newsnight’s investigation into the Good Governance Institute, I asked Amanda Pritchard CEO of NHS England if the regulator would review whether the NHS should ever use this company again.
NHS England has today issued a response on behalf of Amanda Pritchard today, indicating that it has nothing to add to previous replies. (NHS England had previously merely said that it had checked current contracts and confirmed there it had no contracts with the Good Governance Institute).
So would that be a ‘no’ then?
Do NHS regulatory or ex regulatory staff have connections with the Good Governance Institute?
For example, Bob Alexander and Stephen Moir, formerly of NHS TDA and NHS England, are listed on the company’s website amongst its “people”:
The exchange of correspondence with NHS England is provided below:
From: CASEWORK (NHS ENGLAND – X24) <REDACTED>
To: Minh Alexander <REDACTED>
Sent: Wednesday, 16 August 2023 at 11:03:38 BST
Subject: NHS England Case Reference 2306-1985921 – GE. NHSE:0834279
Dear Dr Minh Alexander,
Thank you for your further email, I am sorry for the delay in responding.
Ms Pritchard is aware of your email but we are not adding anything further to the responses already provided in respect of this matter.
Regards
Kimberley
Case Officer
Customer Contact Centre
NHS England
PO Box 16738
Redditch
B97 9PT
Tel: 0300 123 4484 Please quote your case reference number, calls may be recorded for training and monitoring
Email: REDACTED
Web: www.england.nhs.uk
BY EMAIL
Amanda Pritchard
CEO NHS England
20 July 2023
Dear Amanda,
BBC Newsnight investigation into the Good Governance Institute
In the most recent exchange of correspondence, NHS England informed me that it had checked its current contracts and none were with the Good Governance Institute (GGI).
This followed NHSE’s hiring of the GGI last autumn via the Chief Nurse’s directorate, AFTER the GGI employed the sacked former NHS trust director Mason Fitzgerald. The GGI still employs Mason Fitzgerald.
Last night BBC Newsnight broadcast an investigation into this private company which raises serious questions (starts at 20.45).
Companies House advised the BBC that no company should include the sensitive word “institute” in its name without permission from the Secretary of State, and that to do so is an offence. According to the BBC, Companies House has written to the GGI to ask it to stop using its current name.
There were also other matters of concern.
Will NHS England take the additional step of reviewing whether this company should ever be used again by the NHS?
As a wider point, Rachael Maskell MP questioned the usefulness and value for money in outsourcing governance reviews in this manner.
Prof Andrew Sturdy from Bristol University School of Business pointed to the “demand inflation” that is driven by the self-interest of private consultants looking for repeat business, when they transact with the NHS.
Many thanks and best wishes,
Minh
Dr Minh Alexander
Cc Health and Social Care Committee
BBC Newsnight
RELATED ITEMS
BBC Newsnight investigates the Good Governance Institute
A Study in Delay: The National Guardian & Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
Kark, Fit and Proper Persons, NHS England, Mason Fitzgerald and the Good Governance Institute
Alexander's Excavations 
The Good Governance Institute – is the NHS -as it is a wholly inbred organisation – like most of these bodies. Who see black as white. So it comes as no surprise too find the NHS refuses to review whether they should continue to hire their own – to review their own shortcomings!!
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I am not going to comment on the photographs of Bob and Stephen. I want to but, I won’t.
Ploughing through the propaganda and P.R., and pushing such aside, I sense that the NHS prioritizes its care for itself rather than its other obligations. How very disappointing.
Moving on, let’s hope that Kimberley and Ms Pritchard enjoy refreshing summer holidays to help ease the burden of their onerous duties.
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