23/01/2012 Inside Out London

have completely and utterly ruined the last two-and-a-half years of my

life. At loggerheads, the Newcastle College whose A star reputation is

under fire. It is the systems and procedure nas are wrong and until

they are put right, this type of bullying and harassment will carry

on. And going for gold. Teesside's Chris Tomlinson on the price of

loping for success at the London Olympics. Taking it one step at a

time. I have a chance and ultimately a medal is a medal.

Story from the heart of the North East and Cumbria. This is Inside

It is an anxious time for the thousands of women who have had

breast implants. But we have discovered one trust in our region

has carried out over a fifth of all NHS operations, using the

controversial PIP implant. And a surgeon at the same trust raised

the alarm about these products five years ago. But the women at the

heart of this story weren't told. They are fews you. Health fear

overs tens of thousands of breast implants found to have a risk of

rupturing. Will I feel sick when I think about t. It was scary. I

wanted them to listen. Having these implants have completely and

utterly ruined the last two-and-a- half years of my life. Three women

whose lives have been ripped apart by something that was supposed to

make them feel good about themselves. They have all had PIP

breast implants, 40,000 women nationally have had the implants

fitted, 95% of them in private clinics. What is clear from

speaking to these women, is the sheer anguish. They feel violated

that they are a victim of crime. And then is the fear of the unknown.

Are they being poisoned? Cumbrian land lady Claire got a loan tout

have a breast enhancement at a private medical clinic in 2006.

was just such a confidence boost. I can now, I can wear nice clothes

and not hide under the paingy T- shirts and sweatshirts, which I

used to. Like thousands of other women Claire found out she had been

fitted with PIP implant, which were banned when they were found to

contain industrial grade silicon once the scandal broke out over

Christmas. France agrees to pay thousands of women to have breast

implants removed. Though the Government here insists they are

safe. To find out that I've got this, this silicon that is supposed

to be used in mattress, it is an outrage. You can't imagine what it

feels like to know that this stuff is in your body, and it is not

supposed to be there. Claire has been left in limbo by his private

provider. Conversely all NHS patients, about 2,000 women in all,

have been told they can have their implants removed for free, and if

clinically necessary, replaced. But some feel equally let down. One

woman I spoke to said during a consultation a surgeon demonstrated

the safety of the implants by repeatedly jabbing it with a pen.

He was so confident he said, in fact, if ever she was stabbed, it

could save her life. Imagine how she feels now. Fay from County

Durham was unhappy the appearance of her breast after having two

children. I didn't like the shape of my breast, it didn't look like a

boob. They looked empty. I wanted it to look like a boob, and I went

to the doctor and asked and he said I'll send you to a plastic surgeon.

I went to one and he said I will give you a new set. About 14 months

after the operation on the NHS in Durham, Fay was worried one of her

implants had split. I was looking at my breasts at the time. I

noticed it did have a tiny bleb underneath. I went to my doctors

and said, do you think I could have, it could have ruptured. They tried

to put her mind at ease. There is no way they will rupture. They are

like a Turkish delight. If you cut them in half, they can't fall apart.

It solid gel. I think they thought I was a nut e I was mad. They

thought she is neurotic. They said I was reading into things too much.

Then I was starting to think am I? I thought I was going round the

bend. It was scary. I just wanted them to listen. What Fay didn't

know, was that the surgeon who carried out the original operation,

pictured here, had written a letter, published in the plastic surgery

journal, flagging up concerns. Brook Berry reported how a woman

was referred to him with a lump in her right armpit. An exploration of

the right breast, I found there was a huge tear in the shell of the

He is retired but a colleague believes the regulator should have

investigated further. The correct scientific way of pursuing this

would be to make the authorities aware and if there were any more

incidents to collect the patient load and to investigate that

further. In other words, proper analysis of all the medical data,

to establish if there was a wider problem. But the implants weren't

banned under 2010. Three years later. And only after the alarm was

raised in France. This surgeon stopped using them in 2008.

Berry and I had a separate discussion regarding this as we

were colleague, on the back of his unsatisfactory experience with the

implant, this is one of the reasons that led me to stop using them,

among other factors as well. A new implant manufacture had released a

very good quality implant with a lifelong guarantee, plus it had a

different feel quality which was more attractive and more appealing

to patients. But that did and help past patients like Fay, whose worst

fears were coming true. I did get an MRI, I had to wait, and I got an

MRI and got the results back and the left implant had ruptured. They

found I had two lumps underneath. September 2008, less than two years

having the implant, Fay had them removed. Bs So when they removed

them, what did they find? A mess. That's what the doctor said, a mess.

And two golf ball sized limp nodes, full of this silicon. So they said

they used two litres of saline to wash it out or clean it out. Fay is

one of 412 women who had their PIP implants fitted by surgeons on the

NHS in County Durham, between 2001 and 2007. With a total of 2000

patients across the country having PIP implants on the NHS, that puts

Durham near the top of list, according to the latest data.

County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust turned down our

request to appear on Inside Out. In a statement it told us that PIP

implants were selected by their predecessors because of their

clinical suitability. Quality, and cost. The implants had a European

quality mark. O surgeons at the trust have used different implants

since 2008. Angela is another of Durham's patients. She beat breast

cancer twice and had implants fitted. She recovered, but started

feeling ill two years ago. I'm -- my health was going down and down.

At that stage I was off work for six months, because I couldn't walk

from the living room to the kitchen. I just had difficulty doing. I

decided, because I was having difficulty getting up the stair, I

would have to sell my house. I handled the breast cancer, it was

not a problem to me. But that was far easier to cope with than what

I've gone through the last two-and- a-half years. Laing is convinced

the implants are to blame for her poor health. She found out last

year, one implant had split, and saw a plastic surgeon in Durham in

December. He put me on a six month waiting list. I asked if the

silicon could seep into my system and he said no. So, I accepted that.

Didn't worry, no problem. Until four days later in a national

newspaper, I read the first article I had read about these implants,

then I started to worry. We showed her Mr Berry's letter published in

a medical journal four-and-a-half years ago. I had no idea about this

report by Mr Berry, in 2007. I am just astounded. Astounded that

nothing has been done. I'm angry, very angry. Everyone who had these

implants should have been contacted, and offered to have an ultrasound

scan, to check the implants and to make certain they were THE fine.

Angela is now at the top of the waiting list to have her leaking

implant taken out. The trust told us its surgeons monitor rupture

rates and this isolated case reported by Mr Berry did not give

rise to patient safety concerns within the trust. It added the

rupture rate is extremely low. The trust says it has written the all

women with PIP implant, and has set up an advice line. Fay has had five

lymph nodes loaded with discharged silicon removed. But she still has

silicon in her body. You have had the implants out now, but this

isn't over for you, is it? I have aching pains under my arges I have

pains that go down like nerve pains in my arms, I have pains in my

bones. I get really bad headache, comes on and my glands will all

come up in my neck. I want to know how much silicon is still left in

my body. I want answers now and I think I deserve them. The trust

accepts it is a worrying time for patient, but insist there's is no

clear evidence to suggest women with PIP implants need urgent

treatment. And referrals to see a plastic surgeon are being treated

as routine. For the women we have talked to, that may not be enough

to put their minds at rest. And if you have been caught up in the

breast implant debate it will be good to hear from you. You can e-

mail me in confidence. It is one of the largest and most successful

colleges in the UK. With an outstanding reputation for academic

excellence. So, why do so many of Newcastle College Groups critics

say it has little time for those that stand in its way. And, a

problem with bullying. The college says they are biased and are

conducting a campaign against it so what is really going on? Choose a

path. Choose a direction. Newcastle College's ads highlight its

reputation for quality service, which is backed by a prized Ofsted

grade one inspection. It is the centrepiece of Newcastle College

group, or NCG. It is one of the largest education and training

organisations in the UK. But it is claimed what the ads don't say is

that at as it is has grown so has the critic. These people seem to

just think they are ride rough shod over anybody that could come in,

disregard people's view, I think it is systems and procedures that are

wrong. Until they are put right, this type of bullying and

harassment will carry on. We have spoken to large numbers of staff,

student, past and present and politician, who say it has lost

sight of its role as a local college, providing education for

kids in this region. They say its single minded in pursuing the

business goals. And despite being a publicly funded body. It won't

tolerate opposition. Newcastle College was formed in the 1970,

from a number of institutions in the city. Some dating back to 1894.

But NCG has.Ment -- ambition. I wanted to grow from its Newcastle

roots. It expanded into the north- west, taking over the Skelmersdale

and Ormskirk College and in 2008, it took over the failing training

company Carter and cart e to establish intrain, which gets

unemployed people back to work. But its claimed some of the money from

Newcastle is being diverted to subsidise -- e-- other parts of NCG.

Intrain -- intraining is losing money. So Newcastle College is

picking up the tab. Money that should be spent on the people of

Tyneside, is going elsewhere. declined to be interviewed but said

that suggestion wholly inaccurate and misleading. It said intraining

is paying significant return, allowing investment over �60

million in the North East, over the next four years. Despite this,

critics argue this and other financial pressures are the reasons

why it has pushed through pay cuts of 30% for some staff, leaving them

�10,000 a year worse off. Last year there was a strike over 170 job

losses. Vanessa Maughan was made redundant. The former union

secretary is one of a number of people taking the college to an

employment tribunal. Year or year, the staff costs have been going

down, that says a lot about how the particularly the teaching staff are

valued. They have lot a lot of very very highly skilled, valuable well

qualified staff. Students say they have noticed a change. The size of

some of the classes are like, 50 people. Like it is absurd. NCG say

they refute the allegation, students satisfaction levels are

exceptionally high and a recent accreditation showed there were

high levels of confidence. The staff at Newcastle College claim

the management style has hardened. Rob Scott says he was bullied and

he is taking the college to an employment tribunal. He says out of

the blue, just over a year ago, a manager told him in front of junior

staff, that he wasn't working hard enough. No-one at any time had said

that they weren't happy with my performance, I got a bonus, for

performance related pay, congratulating us because I had met

all of my targets. Rob complained, management said the comment was a

joke and told him he was being too sensitive. But unbe known to Rob a

private e-mail to the chief executive said. It was only after

Rob put in a Freedom of Information request that he discovered this. A

note writ on the e-mail after, admitting they had got it wrong.

His performance hadn't been discussed. By that stage an

investigation has been launched and dropped. His health suffered and he

had been selected for redundancy. It is is always felt it was

happening to someone else. It has felt a bit surreal, in the fact

that I wake up in the morning thinking it can't be me. I haven't

done anything wrong. They don't like their methods to be questioned.

I think that is one of the problems that I found myself in. Newcastle

College could not comment on Rob's case. I get more complaints of

bullying Newcastle College than I do in any of the other 20 colleges

or six universities on my patch combined. Junior manager who feel

under immense pressure basically take it out on lower staff, and I

give you Cowenless instances of where that has happen. Where

members complain nothing has been done to investigate. Inside Out has

spoken to a large number of past and present staff, who did not wish

to appear on camera. Actor, speak a selection of their statements. --

actors. They want people easy to turn over. I was singled out.

targeted. Everything became a disciplinary. We have seen e-mails

and statements appearing to back the complaint bs. A junior manager

says a resignation was greeted with the words, yes, another one gone. A

manager's e-mail says an employee returning from sick leave is to get

real performance management. Newcastle College-style. So, is

there a problem with bullying at the college? NGNCG told us it takes

bullying seriously and had a clear process for dealing with staff

and dealt with appropriately. On the face of it you could say this

is just a dispute between an employer and its worker, but one of

the region's other colleges has The group hoped to continue its

expansion by merging with Northumberland College. Last autumn,

the merger collapsed. We have seen a confidential report prepared by

Northumberland College. The report says NCG was planning to sell off

two of Northumberland's campuses, something which the college here

seemed to know little about. The news caused outrage. They were

after getting the property, selling it off and having the students for

themselves. I think Newcastle College have acted appallingly and

have misled Northumberland College and the people of Northumberland.

The Northumberland College report also said that NCG do not have the

readership capacity they expected. The merger was badly managed,

communication was poor and it said this could be as a direct result of

dealing with a number of construction projects, in training

performance and financial challenges. NCG says claims it

misled Northumberland are completely untrue. Both colleges

had worked closely during the merger discussions and

Northumberland College was fully informed and actively involved. The

criticisms of NCG were wholly inaccurate and lacked integrity,

reflecting the personal views of someone opposed to the merger. It

also claimed that NCG does not regard itself as accountable to

people in their region or their elected representatives.

consultation was done on whether people wanted this merger. Between

60 and 70 per cent suggested that they did not want the merger to

take place. Totally ignored that. I am really concerned about the way

in which they operate and feel that they can do anything they want, any

time they want. NCG says this is wholly unfounded. It serves every

local authority in England and has premises across the country and is

accountable to all customers and stakeholders and its board is made

up of prominent members of the The Northumberland setback has not

blunted NCG's ambition. Its ads continue to trumpet its list of

academies and developments. It is believed that the group is looking

at other mergers and expansion. It is one of the reasons why the chief

executive was paid around �240,000 in 2010, including a bonus and

retention payment of �54,000. That was controversial and there are now

calls for action to be taken. not right in any way when staff at

the college are receiving pay cuts. The Government needs to have a look

at how they are spending money, how they are conducting their business

and how it is impacting and affecting other people in and

around higher education. NCG told us that Dame Jackie

Fisher's salary is comparable to other senior posts in the sector

and the extra payment in 2010 was one to provide stability at a time

of rapid expansion. Claim and counter-claim. What is clear is

that it is not just students here at this college who are facing

testing times. Questions are also being asked about NCG itself. A lot

of people in the North East will be There are just 186 days to go until

the start of the London Olympics. Almost all our top athletes have

had to move from the North to train at Team GB bases in other parts of

the country as part of their preparations for the 2012 Games.

Among them the long jumper Chris Tomlinson, the man considered the

region's best hope of a medal in the athletics arena. But staying

away from home is just one sacrifice he has made in his quest

to be the best. Chris Tomlinson, the man from

Middlesbrough who jumps into a sandpit for a living. He has

competed at the last two Olympics and is currently ranked 5th in the

World. I am a Boro lad, born and bred. My wife is from Linthorpe,

I'm from Nunthorpe. Chris now lives down south with his wife, the West

End actress, Lucia Rovardi, so he can train here at the elite

facilities in North London. It's a big sacrifice for a couple who are

Northerners to their core. I think the way of life that we have in the

north-east is so much better. It is just a matter of time before me and

my wife go back up there. It is the best place on earth. This is the

size of a flat in London. This is what you get. If he wins Olympic

gold, he will be able to buy a much bigger home of. But last September,

his hopes took a big setback. Just before the World Championships, my

knee started playing up a bit I still made it to final, but my knee

wasn't up to scratch. I needed an operation. Every time the knee

travelled forwards, it would give me a lot of pain Below the knee cap,

you have got the tendons and the tendon was inflamed and had a lot

of blood in there. Chris is lucky. As one of Team GB's elite athletes,

he receives support worth more than �50,000 a year to pay for the best

coaches, sports science and medical treatment. Money that comes mainly

from us via the National Lottery. I have a sideline. I have a few

houses in the North East that I bought when I was younger and I

have to ensure the rent gets paid. Middlesbrough, there is a few nice

flats. We don't get footballers wages by any stretch. He also

collects prize money and appearance fees from various athletics

meetings. There are various sponsorship deals. And then there's

Strike Gold at London 2012 and Chris could reasonably expect a big

leap in his earnings. And then there is the media interest which

is already high. I did a few interviews recently in a few of the

papers. Kind of embarrassing too. On the back page, it has me wearing

sunglasses. One of those stupid pictures, they always go for the

silly, gimp pictures. Basically saying about drugs cheats costing

me medals and what my standpoint is on it. Chris is 30. Realistically,

this is his last shot at Olympic glory. There is a lot hanging on

his ability to stay fit over the next eight months. I don't like

weight training. I find it boring. It's a means to an end. It is 9.10

on 25 November. I have a day off - whoopee! The knee is coming on well.

I've just spoken to my agent about going to Moscow on 5th February. I

need to get back into shape as soon as possible. My priority is to

perform well at the Olympic Games. But two days later, a setback.

a great day. I was training well, but me knee just started to hurt.

The doctor scanned it but take it on symptoms, train today, making

sure that I look after this knee. But Chris believes he has the right

strategy to ensure that he can overcome his injury. It is about

taking one step at the time. The only way to get there is to take it

one day at a time. Of course people are talking about 2012, but I am

thinking about today's training session. So who wears the trousers

in this house? Not me! He has turned into a diva last few months!

I keep having to tell him off! is going to be a big year for Chris

- regardless of the Olympics. It means an extra financial burden,

but he's still jumping for joy. Really excited about baby I am! We

were trying for a while, so it was nice to finally get one past the

keeper so to speak! When are you due? March 17th. The world

championships are in Turkey on 10th March. If it comes early, Chris

might not be here. My main priority is being here for the birth. If it

was the Olympics, it would be different but it is the world

A little more than seven months until the Olympics. It's no big

leap of imagination to say this is the year that Chris could really

hit the big time and the financial rewards that come with it. But

there is something much more important on his mind than money,

something that would really have him jumping for joy. And that is

the simple glory of winning Gold in the sport he loves. In my event I

am very fortunate, in that I'm not going up against a world record

holder. I am going up against very good athletes, but not necessarily

the world's greatest ever. I have got to take great heart from that.

A medal is a medal. Fingers crossed for him at the summer.

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