Bosses quit as probe due

Sarah Marshall

STAFFORD Hospital bosses Martin Yeates and Toni Brisby have resigned - days before the results of a probe into standards of care and high death rates are revealed.

HospitalThe shock resignations were made on Monday and announced to staff and trust members the following day at a Mid Staffordshire Hospitals NHS Trust governors' meeting.

More than 70 devastated members of staff, from consultants to nurses, some of who were close to tears, gathered yesterday to tell the Newsletter they were distraught at the news and to call for both bosses to reconsider their decisions.

The resignations come as the Healthcare Commission is due to publish the results of its investigation into unusually high death rates, and care standards at the hospital.

Mr Yeates, chief executive since 2005, said he had not taken the decision to stand aside lightly and the trust had come a long way in overcoming the range of problems he faced when he arrived.

He said changing the way a failing organisation operated, while still maintaining key services for the community was complex and needed vision, proper governance, substantial investment in facilities and staffing and clear decision-making.

"My first task was to attract a high-quality senior team to provide the leadership and vision to build a financially strong and successful organisation. This has enabled us to recruit additional staff including 100 new nurses, significantly strengthen our emergency services, reduce hospital-associated infections and invest in new equipment and facilities.

"I recognise there is still a lot to do. I am very proud of what we have achieved so far. The organisation is now in a stronger position and I have developed an experienced management team that can take the trust forward and continue to improve patient care for the local community."

Mrs Brisby added: "It is with great sadness and reluctance that I have made the decision to step down as chair, from what I consider now to be a transformed organisation from the one I joined in 2004."

But staff are calling for the two to change their minds and blame the Cure the NHS group for putting pressure on the pair.

Heather Gough, a senior practioner in accident and emergency, said: "Martin Yeates has been the most effective chief executive that we have had. He inherited a lot of problems. I have never felt as emotional. He made a real impact.

"A lot of it seems due to this pressure group(Cure the NHS) that seem to have had their way now. They are now calling for the governor members to go. I have written to David Kidney about it as I feel their actions have not done the trust or the residents in this area any favours at all.

"Most of us are here because we want to change these decisions. We almost feel as though we want to picket to keep him. We don't want the people of Stafford to suffer to make it a decision that I do not think people realise."

Nurse Sharon Turner said: "It is such an unfair situation that we are not being allowed to continue to move forward. Without the leadership of Martin Yeates I worry. This came as a major shock and we feel as though a small majority have caused a great loss. No-one has worked as hard or has been so accessible as Martin Yeates."

Sarah Hart, head of capital development, said: "At this short amount of notice - we were given half-an-hour - you have consultants, management, matrons and health care assistants here. It shows how much we felt that Martin Yeates could improve this hospital. Many of us here feel the Cure the NHS group will not cure the NHS."

Di Martin, who works in trauma orthapaedics, said: "I think the level of support for Martin Yeates was overwhelming. To walk around and see people at all levels in tears has been awful."

Staff governor Sandra Barrington said: "All the governors were shocked. We all worked very closely under the direction of Toni Brisby and Martin Yeates. They were inspirational in their leadership, commitment and vision to make this a hospital to be proud of. They worked to provide excellent service and care and have striven relentlessly to make positive changes.

"It is appalling. I think there was pressure on them from Cure the NHS. Unfortunately their views seems to be based on perception of what is happening rather than fact."

Consultant cardiologist Paul Woodmansey said: "The Healthcare Commission report might well be critical. We are not a perfect organisation but we are all determined to make it improve."

Interim chairman David Stone has now been appointed. An interim chief executive is yet to be found.