Photo: Chief Executive, Jonathan Parry
Four members of staff – the Chief Executive, Chief Operating Officer, Human Resources Director and Deputy Director of Performance have all been suspended.
Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust have excluded four members of staff, the Chief Executive, Chief Operating Officer, Human Resources Director and Deputy Director of Performance.
The exclusions follow an independent external investigation into three separate whistleblowing complaints received by the Trust, but no aspect of the complaints or investigation relate to patient care or safety.
The four employees are excluded for the duration of an internal investigation, but it is not known at this time how long the investigation will last.
The suspensions from work are not a disciplinary sanction, but is a holding action until the completion of an investigation.
During the investigation the NHS Trust will be unable to comment further as it relates to both employment matters and an ongoing investigation.
The decision to exclude the four employees was unanimously agreed by the Chair and the six non-executive directors on the Trust Board with support from the NHS Trust Development Authority.
Sue Musson, Chair of the Trust said: “In response to the three whistleblowing complaints made to the Trust and the subsequent independent external investigation by the Good Governance Institute it has been necessary to exclude three senior executives and one other employee.
“I want to stress to our patients, their families and the public that no aspect of the complaints, the investigation that has taken place and the exclusion of the four employees are related to issues of patient care or patient safety.
“This action will not affect the healthcare services provided by the Trust to our patients.
“An internal investigation will now begin in line with our disciplinary policy.
“With immediate effect Ann Marr, Chief Executive of St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospital NHS Trust and Gaynor Hayles, Associate Director of Nursing at the NHS Trust Development Authority will be assisting the trust.”
Ann, Gaynor and Sheila will join the existing executive director team of Damian Reid our Director of Finance, Rob Gillies Executive Medical Director and Simon Featherstone Director of Nursing, Quality and Risk.
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