The clash doesn't seem to have effected Hughes's career - three months later he was Acting Captain in command of the fleet repair ship HMS Vindictive and went on to command to RNASs HMS Nightjar and HMS Heron.
By Hughes's, I think you mean Heath's.
I have a vague memory that the overcrowding caused by the presence of the RAF aircraft made deck operations highly problematic.
Sqn. Ldr. Cross, (later Air Chief Marshal ) said that his Hurricanes were stowed in the after part of the hangar, leaving the forward part of the hangar and the forward lift clear, so that they did not obstruct the movement of the ship's own aircraft. There were in fact, 35 aircraft on board - 9 Sea Gladiators, 6 Swordfish, 10 R.A.F. Gladiators and 10 R.A.F. Hurricanes. The ship had a capacity for 48 aircraft, so that should not have presented a problem
The wind at the time was light,from the North West. To launch and recover aircraft it would have been necessary to bring more boilers in line, increase speed and turn about 125 degreea off their mean line of advance. This may have been a factor in the decision not to lauch patrols.