Concern at A&E transformation leader's 'conflict of interest'

A ROW has broken out about a potential conflict of interest of an NHS boss who is leading changes that could see Darlington Memorial Hospital lose some of its services, including its A&E ward.
Proposals through an NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP), will see either Darlington or North Tees hospitals lose some units.
But the chairman of the STP group, Alan Foster, is also the chief executive of the trust in charge of North Tees Hospital.
The NHS denies Mr Foster will have any involvement in the final say about which hospitals will be affected.
Concern about the potential conflict of interest was raised during a public meeting in Middleton-in-Teesdale last week by a former paramedic. In response, county councillor Richard Bell said: “Yes the chief executive of Hartlepool and North Tees Trust is Alan Foster and he is leading the southern STP. And I have to say I do find it very strange indeed.
“I do find it very odd indeed that when you are faced with the choice of downgrading one of two hospitals, that the chief executive of one of them is leading the task group.”
North Yorkshire County Council member Jim Clark, who also gave input about the proposals, said the appointment was made centrally by the chief executive of NHS England, Simon Stevens.
He added: “It doesn’t fill you with confidence. This is the biggest change in the NHS for a long time – why are these people having to do it on a part time basis while they are still chief executives of other CCGs clinical commissioning groups, or trusts, or other organisations.”
Middleton resident Gordon Jones described the situation as possibly scandalous.
An NHS spokesperson said: “Any proposals about changes to hospital services would need to be subject to a formal process of public consultation.
“Following public consultation, final decisions would be made by a joint committee of all of the clinical commissioning groups in the area covered by the Sustainability and Transformation Plan.
“As the chief executive of an NHS Trust, Mr Foster is not a member of this committee.
“All decisions taken by the joint committee must be unanimous which means that the interests of one CCG cannot override the others.
“Members of this committee are working to the highest standards of governance and integrity to ensure that some very real challenges are addressed. This means working together to ensure the best possible long term plans are in place for clinically and financially sustainable healthcare services.”