31.01.19
Chief executive of special measures hospitals trust to step down
The chief executive of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals FT (NNUH), a special measures trust with a “bullying culture”, has announced he will step down in the autumn.
Mark Davies will leave Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals FT (NNUH) after leading the organisation since August 2015 when he was appointed interim chief executive, and was giving the permanent job in November.
In a statement to ITV News, Davies said: “Our trust chairman, John Fry, will shortly be completing his second term as chairman and the governors have already started the process of recruiting a new chair.
“Given the fact that the trust chief executive is answerable to the chair of the trust board I have always felt the they should be free to appoint his or her own chief executive. I have therefore, decided to leave the trust in the autumn.”
NNUH was rated as ‘requires improvement’ by the CQC in 2016 following concerns over a lack of staff and never events, but this rating dropped to ‘inadequate’ following its most recent inspection after managers had failed to address a number of the CQC’s key concerns.
Inspectors reported a deterioration of services and said risks were not always acted upon quickly enough or resolved at all.
Davies said he was announcing his departure now to ensure there was enough time to recruit the new chair and for him or her to then recruit a new CEO.
He added: “I would also like to take this opportunity to express my profound thanks to, and admiration for, all of our tremendous staff at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. They are truly remarkable people.”
Davies has been the chief executive of eight different NHS trusts during a 40-year career within the NHS, and said he had “worked with the most caring and compassionate people imaginable.”
“I remain as certain today as I was 40 years ago that the NHS is a great national institution. In many respects it is the jewel in our national crown. I will to continue to make a contribution in the months and years to come as we begin the all-important process of delivering the new NHS long-term plan.”