A hospital governor has blasted its running after resigning his post.
Peter Clery, of Sutton Bridge, was an elected public governor for Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in King’s Lynn until tendering his resignation during a meeting last week.
He says he quit after “his activities as a governor were investigated for alleged breaches of an internal code of practice”.
Mr Clery, who represented South East Lincolnshire and Rest of England on the governors’ council from February 2014, has since taken a swipe at several issues including:
- the appointment of former chief operating officer Dorothy Hosein as chief executive officer, claiming the post was not well advertised and that Mrs Hosein “hardly met the requirements set out”
- the trust having five chief operating officers in a year
- the trust’s stated deficit last year of £14.9m. Mr Clery said: “This was only achieved after a balance sheet adjustment of £2m which enabled the target deficit to be exactly met.”
- £5m spent on consultants “to tell the hospital management how to cope,” according to Mr Clery.
The trust was put into special measures by the Care Quality Commission in October 2013 due to serious failings. The latest inspection last July says the trust still requires improvement.
Mr Clery, who intends to stand again in next month’s governor elections, said: “There is so much good at QEH with the medical and nursing staff but this seems to be in spite of, rather than because of, management.”
He added that the only job for management should be to help the medics make the best possible use of available funds.
“There are ways to bring QEH back to the happy successful non deficit hospital it once was but at present this is not happening,” he said. “QEH is, thank goodness, out of special measures but is current governance up to the job of getting QEH back to a respected, solvent status? I have my doubts.”
Dominic Chessum, head of communications and engagement at the hospital, said: “We can confirm that Mr Clery has resigned his position as governor of the hospital.
“Mr Clery tendered his resignation following the conclusion of an investigation into his conduct but ahead of this investigation being formally considered by the governors’ council.
“During his time as a governor, Mr Clery made numerous and frequent complaints and allegations about the Trust and its officers. These complaints were dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner and discussed and debated by the governors’ council.
“On occasions where investigations were undertaken it was concluded these allegations didn’t warrant any action.”
