University Hospitals Birmingham has come under fire over bullying and a toxic culture in the past couple of years.
In September 2023, an independent review commissioned by the trust found that more than half of staff said they felt bullied or harassed, leading to UHB apologising for “unacceptable behaviours”.
A report by the Care Quality Commission, published in 2024, external, rated the hospital overall as “requires improvement”. Earlier this year the trust was inspected again, but the results have not yet been made public.
In the last two years there have been changes in leadership and there is now a “wise council” of about 1,000 staff who are consulted on decisions and act as a sounding board for colleagues.
A trust spokesperson said the most recent staff survey results showed “promise”.
Mr Metcalfe added: “I’ve been here about 18 months now and of course I’m aware of the history.
“Since I arrived I have to say I don’t recognise the description and that’s a great credit to the leadership of the trust as a whole in the turnaround that they have driven.
“I can’t comment in detail of what the culture was like before. All I can say is that I have arrived in a hospital that the quality and excellence of the individuals delivering an extraordinary array of care is like none in any hospital I’ve worked in before.”