NHS Trust Chief Executive's Superman video branded insensitive

The Chief Executive of Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust Phil Morley, has been criticised after making an "insensitive" Superman-themed video message for his staff. The three-minute film shows Mr Morley under pressure and busy answering lots of calls at his office at Hull Royal Infirmary. He then spins round in his chair and magically transforms into Superman, complete with Lycra outfit and bright red boots.



Then, dancing to (Is This The Way To) Amarillo, Mr Morley dances down a corridor, encouraging a merry band of hospital employees to join him. Mr Morley recorded the video to promote Workout at Work Day and encourage staff to take care of their own health as well as that of patients. The video was made for Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust's internal intranet, which is accessible to the 8,000 employees the organisation has at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital.

However, it has since been leaked onto the internet and staff have been angered by its content. The trust currently has to make savings of £100m. A medical secretary at the trust, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "There has been a big review and we've all been told we medical secretaries have to reapply for our jobs. But there is a possibility of people losing their jobs, as there are more staff than roles. Then we come into work and see this video – it is a little bit insensitive."


YouTube link.

Save Our NHS Hull and East Yorkshire campaigner Danny Marten, who has also been a patient of the trust when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, said: "The video itself could be seen as a bit of harmless fun, with a light-hearted message regarding stress in the workplace. But in the context of £100m in cuts, staff morale issues, which the trust identified last year and the recent criticism of the Acute Assessment Unit by the Care Quality Commission, which commented that 'something has to give' regarding staff stress levels, this video has been seen by staff as crass and insensitive to their real needs on the front line."