Published on: 29th October 2009
Monitor, the independent regulator of NHS foundation trusts, has used its formal powers of intervention to appoint - with immediate effect - an Interim Chair at Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Jeffrey Ellwood has been appointed as Interim Chair following the decision of the Trust’s Chair, Robin SeQueira, to resign. In addition, Monitor has required the Trust’s Members Council to immediately commence its formal recruitment process to appoint a permanent Chair.
At its meeting yesterday, Monitor’s Board found the Trust to be in significant breach of a term of its Authorisation due to the Trust’s failure to comply with its general duty to exercise its functions effectively, efficiently and economically.
In particular, Monitor’s Board is concerned by the Trust’s ongoing financial position and the deterioration in financial performance and operational efficiency over the last twelve months.
Monitor is now intervening to ensure that the Trust has the Board-level leadership and capacity needed to return to a secure position, while at the same time ensuring patient care remains the highest priority.
Our objective in taking this regulatory action is to ensure that the Trust is well led in order to provide safe, high quality care for patients. We have taken swift action to appoint Jeffrey Ellwood as Interim Chair in order to ensure that the strategic and operational leadership is in place to stabilise the Trust and assist in its successful recovery.It is important to note that Monitor has no reason for concerns as to the quality of the clinical care provided by the Trust to its patients. The intervention relates to matters of strategic and operational leadership capacity and in response to serious financial challenges.
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