Independent Investigations
Independent Investigators
Independent consultants creating a better workplace for you, your employees and people using your services.
Getting the right independent support for your investigation
Our investigations come in all shapes and sizes and cover a wide variety of regulated organisations from healthcare through to social care and charities as well as private companies.
We have carried out nearly 400 investigations into private and public organisations over more than 20 years, ranging from small desktop reviews to large, complex investigations involving multiple interviewees.
Verita’s independent investigation services cover a broad spectrum of issues – from workplace and HR investigations to more general corporate investigations or governance and safeguarding issues.
Our investigations can be phased to allow us to highlight any concerns that require immediate corrective action to maintain safety, without waiting for the full investigation to be completed.
If you have an issue which requires an independent investigation or review, please contact Verita founder Ed Marsden via email at [email protected] or on 020 7494 5670 so we can discuss your situation.
REQUEST A CALL BACK
Why carry out an independent investigation?
A poorly managed internal investigation can lead to reputational damage as well as leading to costly and lengthy legal claims that waste resources that could be better used to improve services.
Appointing a professional investigator ensures the investigation is handled fairly and robustly, and provides objective truth, which is often a requirement for systemic, lasting change.
At Verita we have seen first-hand the detrimental impact that a poorly handled internal investigation can have on families. This is often compounded by a failure to communicate with families in a timely, open and honest way.
As an external investigator, we have no stake in the organisation being investigated, so are unaffected by internal politics, performance reviews or career progression. This objectivity ensures the investigation is conducted correctly and effectively and demonstrates a commitment to transparency and finding the truth no matter who it implicates or how uncomfortable it is.
Even the most successful businesses will sometimes need a discreet and independent opinion about a management issue or to demonstrate that they are acting to investigate matters affecting their reputation. It could be a serious governance or performance failure, a complaint which requires a resolution or simply a group of managers who don’t get on.
Independent investigations - areas we cover
Workplace Investigations
We have extensive experience as a workplace investigator, supporting organisations with our HR expertise and specialist knowledge of regulated sectors. Our methodical and impartial approach to workplace investigations lead to outcomes that subjects and their employers can trust.
Serious Incident Investigations
Our independent serious incident investigations provide objective, evidence-based analysis and deliver recommendations that ensure patient safety and restore public trust following a serious incident.
MHPS Investigations
We have extensive experience handling sensitive investigations in the healthcare sector, helping a number of NHS trusts with investigations under the MHPS framework.
Corporate Investigations
We support organisations with objective corporate investigations to manage commercial issues thoroughly and rapidly. We help businesses navigate through difficult situations and avoid incurring significant reputational damage.
Recent high-profile independent investigation work
Our most recent high-profile investigation was published by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in late October 2025, where we conducted an independent investigation into patient safety to determine whether there were missed opportunities to identify and prevent harm following concerns raised about an orthopaedic surgeon.
This wide-ranging review required us to identify all the gaps, errors or missed signals between 2012 to 2024. This included assessing the effectiveness of the management, whether governance arrangements were sufficient and whether they were complied with, and review the trust’s responses to complaints and patient safety incidents relating to the surgeon.
The trust responded by accepting our findings and setting out a plan to implement our recommendations to ensure patient safety is improved and lessons are learned.
By Choosing Verita you can expect to receive:
- High levels of insight and understanding
- An authoritative and independent account of the facts
- Practical recommendations based on an understanding of underlying causes
- Genuine opportunity for growth, improvement and learning
We can make an initial assessment of a client’s issues, develop terms of reference, and assemble the investigation team within 24 hours of first contact.
We know that clients in urgent need of help appreciate our ability to mobilise quickly, without letting the practicalities of setting up the investigation hold us back. Our reports and recommendations are clearly focussed on providing outstanding analysis of the issues, backed up by recommendations for sustainable improvements that deliver real results for our clients.
Verita's extensive investigative experience
Our investigative experience has included nationally known clients in the security, charity and healthcare sectors, as well as working with UK political parties and on behalf of secretaries of state in government departments.
Our investigative work has spanned private and public organisations including assignments for business, public services, charities, political parties, and government departments.
They include, for example, complex disciplinary investigations, reviews of serious incidents and assessments of organisational failings. The topics investigated have ranged from media exposes and cases of institutional abuse to disciplinary action against senior staff and deaths.
Common themes from our investigative work
Our specialist independent investigations into serious incidents are designed to deliver actionable recommendations which address systemic issues, often leading to overhauled governance and safety systems resulting in a stronger and safer service.
For MHPS investigations, we act as case investigator, collecting evidence for the case manager. Following our work in this area, it is clear that independence, experience and discretion is particularly useful when handling difficult cases.
In our experience, a corporate investigation can cover all areas of a business, including governance and due diligence, financial management, people issues and crisis management. It is a crucial process to help determine whether people in a business or a corporation, including employees, management or indeed third parties, have committed any serious wrongdoing.
Our independent investigation expertise
Every investigation is led by a senior staff member or a senior associate, so you can be assured that everything will be handled with thoroughness.
The supporting team will be made up of experienced staff members, while tasks like interview transcribing and technical support will be provided by specialist contractors. If your organisation requires a specialist approach, subject matter experts can be added to the team.
Our team has expertise in a wide range of areas spanning high-profile investigations, regulated industries, including healthcare and business to government, HR, the private commercial sector and more.
We also offer businesses a tailored reviews service, provided by senior, high-calibre individuals with exceptional credentials and extensive management experience. They each have an impressive track record of getting to the bottom of complex issues and delivering evidence-based reports capable of withstanding challenge.
Specialist Barristers
In the most complex of investigations we can deploy specialist barristers and we are now able to access the legal and regulatory expertise of one of the UK’s most prominent Queen’s Counsel at the independent Bar, Tom Kark KC, and the whistleblowing and employment expertise of one of the UK’s leading juniors at the independent Bar, Jane Russell.
We also have access to expertise in communication and crisis management to ensure our clients can benefit from a coordinated approach to media and public relations.
Key Team Members & Senior Associates
Ed Marsden
Ed Marsden has a clinical background in general and psychiatric nursing and NHS management, and has worked for the Department of Health and the West Kent Health Authority as director of performance management.
He combines his responsibilities as Verita’s founder with an active role in leading complex consultancy and investigations. He worked with Kate Lampard to provide independent oversight of the 40 or so investigations carried out by the NHS into allegations about Jimmy Savile. Recent work includes leading a review of patient safety at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, and investigating the work-related death of an NHS manager.
Peter Killwick
Peter has 25 years of consulting experience covering a variety of strategic and operational issues in a wide range of sectors including healthcare.
He has extensive experience of conducting complex investigations within the NHS, both at operational and commissioner level, including several cases involving allegations raised by whistle-blowers.
Steven Webb
Stephen is a board-level communications advisor with over 20 years of experience and a successful track record of leadership, delivery and innovation in demanding corporate affairs roles.
Recent work includes advising clients, including a major charity, about the impact of stories in the national media. He specialises in providing senior level corporate communication and engagement services to clients, including private sector consultancies and service-provider organisations.
Our senior associates
Des Hudson
A solicitor and former chief executive of The Law Society and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. He is chair of the Taxation Disciplinary Board and of Regulation for the Institute & Faculty of Actuaries.
Kate Lampard CBE
A former barrister and vice chair of the South of England Strategic Health Authority and of the Financial Ombudsman Service Limited. She led the NHS investigations into Jimmy Savile.
Walter Merricks CBE
A solicitor; chair of The IMPRESS Project for press regulation and of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges’ trustees; board member of the Gambling Commission and of JUSTICE, the legal think-tank. He was formerly chief financial ombudsman.
Lucy Scott-Moncrieff CBE
A solicitor and former president of the Law Society of England and Wales. She is a commissioner on the Judicial Appointments Commission and a Mental Health Tribunal judge.
Stephen Shaw CBE
Former prisons and probation ombudsman for England and Wales. He is the independent assessor of complaints for the Crown Prosecution Service and Department for Transport.
Christopher Stephens CBE
A corporate governance consultant. He is an experienced Chairman and NED with public, private and third sector bodies. In addition, Christopher has had worldwide business experience working for a variety of multinational companies.
Find out more
For information on our tailored independent investigation or review services, please contact Verita founder Ed Marsden via email at [email protected] or on 020 7494 5670
Explore Our Independent Investigation Insights
Independent Investigation FAQs
An investigation is a structured way of gathering evidence about incidents or concerns in the workplace. They can be carried out by internal staff, but an independent investigation is conducted by someone outside the organisation.
Verita has a huge amount of experience – nearly 400 investigations over more than 20 years. We are renowned for our methodical and impartial approach to investigations, and we deliver well-managed investigations and reports that stand up to scrutiny.
We work mostly in UK healthcare – both NHS and the independent sector. We have also conducted investigations and reviews in IT and tech companies, charities, universities, local government and in financial services.
The quickest workplace investigation we have done lasted just 11 days! Most take longer than that and we have been involved in complex, organisation-wide assignments that have lasted up to a year.
Certainly. We have conducted numerous investigations into issues involving misconduct by CEOs, CFOs and chairs/trustees of charities.
We have a highly secure approach to managing client data and have multiple IT security safeguards in place to ensure we comply at all times with GDPR obligations.
Related Links