10.03.14
Monitor investigates ‘governance failings' at The Christie
Monitor is to investigate whether The Christie NHS Foundation Trust breached its licence to provide healthcare services by failing to operate in accordance with the principles of good governance.
The regulator is to examine concerns that the board of the trust, a specialist cancer hospital in Greater Manchester, is not functioning as effectively as it should and has not adhered to the required corporate governance standards.
A statement said: “The focus of Monitor’s investigation is into the governance arrangements at the trust, and not the allegations which led to the suspension of the chief executive, Caroline Shaw, last year.”
Shaw was sent home on 25 November and formally suspended as part of a disciplinary process on 19 December.
She has spoken out this month, telling the Manchester Evening Newsthat the dispute concerns a trip to Ibiza last year for a networking conference and a verbally agreed contract for surveying and consultancy work worth £2,600. She told the paper: “The invoice over which questions were raised is about that piece of work and the assumption from the trust is that it is the cost of the [Ibiza] retreat.”
She said the invoice was for legitimate work, and told the MEN that she is “determined” to get her job back. NHS Protect has been called in by the trust.
On the subject of Shaw’s suspension, The Christie says it is “inappropriate” to comment about any ongoing human resource issue.
Lord Bradley, the chair of the trust for the past three years,has also announced his intention to resign following a board meeting at the trust on 24 February 2014.
In a statement, he said: “At this week’s Christie Board of Directors’ meeting there was majority support, but not unanimous support, for the current on-going investigation that follows both NHS and trust policy.
“Therefore, in the best interests of The Christie and in order to complete the investigation as quickly as possible, I intend to step aside from the Chairman’s post when a replacement is appointed.”
Lord Bradley added that he will leave the trust as soon as a replacement can be found.
Monitor will announce the outcome of its regulatory investigation in due course.
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