Health chief resigns (From Watford Observer)

Health chief resigns

5:55pm Friday 19th October 2007 in

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David Law, the man in charge of Watford General Hospital for the past three years, has resigned as chief executive of West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

The announcement, in a statement released at 5.45pm today, followed calls for his resignation by Watford MP Claire Ward and Hemel Hempstead MP Mike Penning, after the publication of a Healthcare Commission report that rated the Trust as 'weak'.

It also ranked the Trust as one of the worst performing in the country.

Mr Law said: "It is with great regret that I resign from the Trust. My time here has been challenging but I think I leave the Trust in a better position than I found it.

"It is only right though that the responsibility for failings identified by the Healthcare Commission falls on the Chief Executive. I look forward to a bright future for the patients and staff of this Trust and I will miss the people and the place."

Professor Thomas Hanahoe, chairman said: "David Law has played a vital part in moving the Trust forward over the last three years but I respect his decision to stand down in the face of the latest results from the Healthcare Commission which gave the Trust a weak' rating for both use of resources and quality of services.

"It is in keeping with the character of the man that despite all his successes as Chief Executive he felt it was right that he should be the one to be held to account for any failings identified by the Healthcare Commission.

"During his three years leading our Trust he delivered the Elective Care Centre in St Albans; he developed the new Acute Admissions Unit; he pushed toward the future on the new Watford Health Campus whilst, for the first time in the Trust's history, he moved us from £26m in debt to a projected £5m surplus this year.

"These positive changes will bring benefits for patients, now and in the future, and for that we thank David. However, he recognised that new leadership is needed so that we can deal with the criticisms of the Healthcare Commission with the support and confidence of staff and patients."