Clinical chief role still open

THE search is still on for a permanent chief officer to take the helm at NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Halton CCG has been without a full time boss since April last year when Simon Banks left to take the same role at Wirral CCG.

Since then Dave Sweeney, Halton CCG’s deputy chief officer, and then Dr Andrew Davies, of Warrington CCG, who remains in place as the chief officer for Warrington, have acted as interim chief officer for Halton because CCGs are required to have an accountable officer by law.

The matter has caught the attention of Halton MP Derek Twigg, who asked a written question to health minister Steve Brine on what the timescale was for appointing a full-time permanent chief officer.

Mr Brine said Dr Davies was appointed with an effective start date of February 1, 2018, and that the appointment on an indefinite interim basis.