13.07.12
Kershaw appointed special administrator at South London
South London Healthcare NHS Trust is the first to be put into the ‘unsustainable provider regime’.
From Monday July 16, Matthew Kershaw will be appointed special administrator and take control of the trust, taking over the functions of the board.
Kershaw is the National Director for Provider Delivery at the Department of Health, on secondment from his substantive post as CEO at Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust. To support his work, Kershaw will bring together a Clinical Advisory Panel of independent clinical leaders.
The trust, which covers the three hospitals Princess Royal, Queen Mary’s and Queen Elizabeth, has deficits of over £150m and has been struggling financially for some years. Waiting times at the trust are also above average, although infection rates are low.
Kershaw will examine the trust’s problems and produce draft recommendations by October 29. He will then oversee a consultation on the report until December 14. A final report will be submitted to the health secretary Andrew Lansley by 8 January 2013, with a decision on the course of action to be made by 4 February 2013.
Lansley said: “Past efforts have not succeeded in putting the South London Healthcare Trust on a sustainable path. The purpose of the Trust Special Administrator is to ensure that services are high quality and to ensure a lasting clinical and financial solution.
“Matthew, working with clinicians, all other staff, commissioners, patients, the public and other stakeholders, must now drive the changes and shape a sustainable solution for South London Healthcare NHS Trust and the local health economy.”
He added: “This mustn’t detract from the hard work put in by frontline staff everyday inSouth London. It would not be fair to those staff to let the trust continue as it has been and we are committed to preserving the high quality of care that their patients have come to expect.”
Kershaw said: “Together we will need to think differently, be bold and accept that change needs to happen. The status quo is not sustainable.
“The Trust is overspending by £1.3m each week, meaning vital resources are being diverted away from other services and communities – this is not acceptable or fair. Patients and taxpayers deserve more than this.”
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