Deadlock on new hospital boss
Health bosses have failed to find a new chief executive for the beleaguered trust in charge of scandal-hit Stafford Hospital.
Eric Morton, pictured, will remain in the interim position he had filled since former chief executive Martin Yeates stood down and later resigned following revelations of appalling care at the hospital.
A panel meeting of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust this week failed to find a replacement. The trust's interim chairman, David Stone said: "I would like to reassure everyone that we are continuing our active search to recruit a new chief executive who will continue to drive forward the transformation of the trust and help the trust, its staff and patients move forward with confidence."
Unison's general secretary, David Prentis, expressed his disappointment saying it was a "bitter blow for patients, staff and the local community who feel they have waited long enough".
The news comes ahead of a public meeting this afternoon where Professor George Alberti and Dr David Colin-Thome were due to answer questions from the public about their reports and progress at the hospital.
The meeting at the main church hall at Trinity Church in Mount Street was organised by Stafford MP David Kidney.
He said yesterday's revelations from patients – who claim they were still experiencing poor care at the hospital as recently as May despite the publication of the damning Healthcare Commission report in March – were "unacceptable".
The allegations range from patients being left unable to eat and drink to injuring themselves accidentally. Mr Kidney said: "The patients have repeated the kind of things which were reported by the Healthcare Commission and it is completely unacceptable.
"A most rigorous investigation is needed of such incidents and if necessary disciplinary action taken. It is very important we put things right.
"I have heard comments by patients before saying how the staff are caring and are doing their best but there are not enough of them, which suggests it is a management issue."
He added he still supported the calls for an independent inquiry into the standards of care at the hospital but stressed what was most important was improving levels of care. He said: "Professor Alberti is exactly the right man to put these incidents to, ask what is going on and what needs to be done about it."
