New boss for troubled hospitals

A CRISIS-hit hospital trust has appointed a new chief executive after a series of scandals – and shown the door to its former boss.

One-time emergency nurse Michelle McKay has been appointed to the leading role at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

She will relocate with her family from Australia, where she managed health services in Southern Queensland and Adelaide.

Mrs McKay replaces former interim chief executive Chris Tidman who had overseen a series of crises at the hospital.

He had unsuccessfully applied for the chief executive role.

It was revealed in Septem- ber that the trust had paid its chief operating officer Stewart Messer £115,000 in wages despite him being off work for more than a year.

The Trust had also spent huge sums sending NHS cancer patients to Spire South Bank Hospital, Worcester, for treatment at Worcestershire Bowel Clinic. The clinic is owned by Trust consultants Steve Pandey and Stephen Lake. It was also facing a backlog of more than 11,000 X-rays, affecting more than 10,000 patients.

Caragh Merrick, chairman of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Michelle is working her notice with her current employer and will be joining us in March 2017. To manage the transition period and ensure a smooth handover I have asked Rob Cooper, currently director of financial improvement, to take on the role as acting chief executive/ accountable officer with immediate effect, and he will continue in post until Michelle joins us.”

Mr Tidman is being seconded to NHS Improvement.

Ms Merrick said: “I would like to thank Chris Tidman for his commitment, dedication and resilience over the last 20 months as interim chief executive and join our staff and stakeholders in wishing him well in his secondment to NHS Improvement.”