Hospital Chief Exec resigns as trust deficit spirals
Hospital chief executive at Hinchingbrooke, Douglas Pattisson, resigned this afternoon (Thursday) as finance colleagues warned that the trust s deficit could top £33million by next March. He will leave the hospital on September 22, he revealed in a surprise
Hospital chief executive at Hinchingbrooke, Douglas Pattisson, resigned this afternoon (Thursday) as finance colleagues warned that the trust's deficit could top £33million by next March.
He will leave the hospital on September 22, he revealed in a surprise move at the end of a trust board meeting today.
The Hunts Post had been expecting the move for some weeks, since it became clear that the hospital was unlikely to be able to get its finances into balance by March 31 2007, as required by the Department of Health.
A predicted deficit of £6.5million - £4million of which had effectively been carried over from last year - turned out at £7.75million as a result of reduced income and repaying the earlier debt.
Its latest deficit for the current year is estimated by hospital finance chiefs to be £8.83million against annual income totalling around £72million.
In spite of the financial position, Hinchingbrooke remains one of the most effective and efficient acute hospitals in the country.
Most Read
- 1 Planning proposal for a new café to be reviewed by St Neots Town Council
- 2 No water relief for depleted rivers and reservoirs with another heatwave forecast
- 3 'Risk of injury' - Aldi recalls product due to safety fears
- 4 Fire safety warning as Met Office warns second heatwave on way
- 5 Joyce proudly shows off her 100th birthday card from the Queen
- 6 Family pay tribute to 'hard worker' father killed in A14 crash
- 7 Biggest 'shooting star' meteor shower to peak this week
- 8 Little Gransden Air and Car Show to celebrate 30 years of fundraising for children in need
- 9 War-time crash crew take on street names in Godmanchester
- 10 Dancers Jive, tango and have fun at the Illumination Dance Masquerade Ball
Its accident and emergency department is consistently in the top 10 in the country, and Hinchingbrooke remains among the top 40 out of 130 acute trusts overall.
Only last week the Healthcare Commission rated it "excellent" for diagnosis and medical management, two of its three key indicators. The hospital also expects to show well on the commission's third indicator (admissions management) when ratings are published next week.
* Do you work at the hospital? Is this a good move for Hinchingbrooke? Has staff morale been boosted by the chief executive's decision to step down? What should happen now? Let us now your views by e-mailing editor@huntspost.co.uk or call the newsroom on 01480 411481.
