07.10.16
Percy quits new post at Southern Health
The former chief executive of the troubled Southern Health NHS FT has left the post she transferred to after standing down.
Katrina Percy announced her resignation as CEO in August after months of criticism of her role at the trust, which was found last year to have failed to investigate the deaths of thousands of mental health and learning disability patients.
She transferred to a new role at the trust, which was described as “providing strategic advice to local GP leaders”.
Tim Smart, the trust’s chair, later admitted in a BBC interview that Percy was the only candidate for the post, where she earned the same salary as in her previous role, and that it had been created specially for her.
But the trust said in a statement today that it had “received correspondence from the public, patients and families expressing their concerns” about Percy’s appointment.
“Both the trust and NHS Improvement believe it is no longer possible for Katrina to continue in her new advisory role,” it said.
“Katrina shares this view and we have worked with NHS Improvement to come to a settlement where she will leave Southern Health with immediate effect, to pursue other opportunities. We thank Katrina for her significant contribution to the NHS and we wish her well for the future.”
Smart, who was appointed as the trust’s chair by NHS Improvement, also resigned last month.
(Image c. Peter Facey)
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