09.03.18
Failing mental health trust appoints new boss
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS FT (NSFT) has today announced the appointment of Antek Lejk, who joins the trust as CEO following a disastrous ‘inadequate’ CQC report last year.
Former boss Michael Scott revealed his retirement just prior to the CQC’s judgement being publicised, leaving the trust to search for a new chief executive.
Lejk has previously been CEO at two other NHS trusts, in Cornwall and Mid Anglia, and will join NSFT from his current position as chief officer for NHS South Norfolk and North Norfolk CCGs.
“I am excited and proud to be asked to help lead NSFT. I am especially looking forward to meeting service users, carers and staff,” Lejk said.
“I have always had a particular interest and passion for mental health. I have led two mental health organisations in the past and I am keen to help NSFT move on from its current difficulties and emerge a stronger, even better organisation serving the people of Norfolk and Suffolk.”
Gary Page, NSFT chair, added: “Our board is delighted to have someone of Antek’s calibre and evident experience, join us.
“He is a leader who commands great respect from the people who work with him, and we believe he will be exactly the kind of inspirational leader we need to continue to make our Trust a better place to receive services and to work within.
“One of his first jobs will be to appoint to the vacant substantive executive director posts and, in doing so, continue to further strengthen our executive team and enable them to lead our trust in making its quality improvements.”
The decision to appoint a new chief executive was overseen by representatives from NHS Improvement (NHSI), as well as the chair of another NHS trust.
Lejk will be expected to oversee improvements in the two areas which inspectors found were ‘inadequate’ – safety and leadership – while also pushing to improve the responsiveness and efficacy of services, which were also criticised by the CQC.
Top image: NSFT
Have you got a story to tell? Would you like to become an NHE columnist? If so, click here.