A SHOCK report questions senior management's control of health and safety standards at St Martin's Hospital in Canterbury.

A damning inspection by the Government watchdog the Health and Safety Executive exposes a culture of 'violence and aggression' towards staff.

It also details serious deficiencies in the running of St Martin's as well as the mental health unit at William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, and Thanet Mental Health Unit.

The report claims senior managers in the East Kent NHS Partnership Trust were not in control of health and safety at St Martin's, which cares for 250 mentally sick patients, mostly suffering from schizophrenia and depression.

This week health and safety inspector Russell Beckett served four improvement notices on the Trust alleging breaches of health and safety regulations.

Trust spokeswoman Isabel Woodroffe said: "The Trust takes its responsibilities for health and safety extremely seriously and will work actively with the HSE to agree how their recommendations can be met as soon as possible."

The report follows concerns aired in the Kentish Gazette newspaper about the running of St Martin's Hospital by relatives of patients and the east Kent branch of Unison.

The Trust, which is trying to claw back a £2 million overspend, is considering closing a ward as part of cutbacks and has ordered an internal inquiry following the death of a patient.

The seven-man HSE inspection team, drafted into Dudley Venables House and Fisher Ward at St Martin's, the Arundel Unit at William Harvey and Thanet Mental Health Unit over two days last month, uncovered examples of serious management failings and a disregard for health and safety.

Other findings include:

* Limited evidenceof suitable monitoring of accidents and incidents

* Results of a survey on violence and aggression against staff highlights a problem

* Over-reliance on sub-contracted agency employees due to staff shortfall.

* Lack of staff training in handling violence and aggression.

* The Trust is not complying with health and safety legislation.

* No coherent health and safety training strategy in place for employees.

The 10-page draft document - obtained exclusively by the Kentish Gazette - makes 25 recommendations to improve the service.

The four notices claim:

* Inadequate arrangements in place for the organisation of health and safety and training of managers and others responsible for supervision.

* Inadequate access to competent health and safety assistance for the Trust.

* Inadequate arrangements to ensure suitable and sufficient risk assessments are completed, that control measures are implemented and are effective in reducing risks to employees.

* Appropriate steps have not been taken to reduce the risk of injury to staff carrying out manual handling operations.

In the 25 recommendations the HSE insist are carried out is a call for a complete assessment on the risks from violence and aggression to employees.

The report concludes: “There was no substantial evidence that senior managers had control of health and safety issues.

“Senior managers have not received suitable health and safety training.

“The Trust currently does not have a coherent health and safety training strategy in place.

“Many staff are carrying out duties for which they should have had training or refresher training. A co-ordinated and systematic approach for the training of managers in health and safety did not exist.”

Trust spokeswoman Ms Woodroffe said: “In common with those of other Trusts across the country, this report contains a number of improvement recommendations relating to the requirements of the Health and Safety Executive.

“The HSE report also makes some positive comments on several areas of good practice within the Trust.

“The Trust will involve all staff and trade union colleagues in addressing the issues involved.”