Interim boss will run city hospitals
A new temporary boss of the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust is likely to be named within the next few weeks.
It follows the announcement in May that chief executive Malcolm Lowe-Lauri was leaving after four years in the job.
It is likely to be several months before a permanent replacement is found – news criticised by health campaigners.
Trust officials could not confirm when Mr Lowe-Lauri was due to leave but it is believed it could be by the end of next week.
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A spokesman said: "We are looking for a new chief executive. It is in everyone's interests that we find the right person and this is the most important factor.
"We are using a recruitment consultant and do not have a time scale on when a substantive appointment will be made, it could be some months.
"In the meantime, we will be appointing an interim chief executive who will be named in the next few weeks."
It will be the second time in five years the trust, which runs the city's three hospitals, has had to take on an interim chief executive.
The trust came under fire in 2007 when it employed Derek Smith as interim boss.
It later emerged the trust had paid management consultancy company Durrow £173,750 for Mr Smith, who was in place for just over six months.
Mr Smith was taken on after the then chief executive Peter Reading left.
Mr Reading was said to have taken early retirement after the collapse of a £711 million private finance initiative scheme called Pathway, which was to transform the three hospital sites.
Zuffar Haq, a spokesman for watchdog group the Leicester Mercury Patients' Panel, said: "I had hoped that the trust would have had a more substantial plan to recruit a chief executive. Leicester's hospitals cannot survive without strong leadership from the top.
"We need a chief executive in place as soon as possible.
"There are a number of pressing issues that need to be resolved such as accident and emergency and maternity services.
"It is a pity that the trust is having to spend money on an interim solution.
"It is more money being taken away from patient care which is already limited."
When his departure was announced, Mr Lowe-Lauri said: "I feel that it is the right moment for me to look to other avenues.
"Leaving a trust like Leicester at any time was never going to be an easy decision but having got over the line on what has been a difficult year financially, this feels like the right moment."
He said: "Naturally, some people will want to speculate about my plans.
"At this stage, I'm unable to go into detail but I will confirm them in due course."
Comments
by chandramouli
Saturday, June 30 2012, 2:56AM
“Mr Lowe Laurie was a disaster and should never have been appointed..\so has the health correspondent of the mercury asked him why he is leaving?”
by frankone
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 8:46AM
“Sydney11 What planet are you on? Yes we do have the makings of a wonderful service and yes there are some fantastic people who work within,but you have a very blinkered view the NHS in its present form is in meltdown with many of its employees giving disgraceful service and many people suffering and some even losing their lives due to mis-management and incompetence and until these issues are tackled the NHS will continue on a downward spiral.We are bereaved parents due to happening at a failing NHS Foundation Trust.”
by LE3_NHS
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 7:42AM
“sydney11........ maybe some of us work within the organisation and see where the money is being wasted. Whilst some departments suffer "headcount reduction" the upper echelons flourish. Those of us at the roots of the organisation deliver the best patient care to thousands on a daily basis WITHOUT the need for multiple layers of management and their consistent tinkering created by a need to justify their jobs rather than improve services for patients and staff.”
by DonHenson
Monday, June 25 2012, 8:43PM
“MLL was bad for UHL and left only when forced to do so.
Better an interim CEO than keep MLL in place to wreak more havoc.”
by horsejockey
Monday, June 25 2012, 3:49PM
“Another few hundred £ to not provide any healthcare.”
by sydney11
Monday, June 25 2012, 3:44PM
“Why is it people areconstantly 'knocking' the NHS and the people that work there who try to do there best. The NHS is one of the best healthcare organsiations in the world, with care 'free at the point of delivery' and yet in thei paper individuals are constantly 'having a go'!”
by LE3_NHS
Monday, June 25 2012, 2:26PM
“It seems MLL has landed a job with KPMG, 6 months in the UK & 6 months in Australia........ "global healthcare stuff". Seems he put his time in Leicester to good use, feathers & nests spring to mind.”
by jonger
Monday, June 25 2012, 12:04PM
“What they need is an apprentice chief executive- on the NHS job site every other job vacancy is for an apprentice for just about every non medical job in the Trust - staff are either loosing their jobs or being offered voluntary redundancy and they are filling the posts with apprentices!”
by LE3_NHS
Monday, June 25 2012, 7:56AM
“Consultancy/head hunting firms bleeding the NHS budget........ must be UHL. Finance failed, solution consultants (£550,000+ + VAT ), Chief Exec says he`s going another consultancy firm will "bring in" the temp....at what cost?
Howabout just advertising MLL`s job and appointing someone the same way every other vacancy is treated?”