Deputy CEO leaves trust amid criticism from tribunal judge

John Webster was deputy CEO of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust, but HSJ has learned he left the trust last month. He has joined Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board as a “programme director”.

Mr Webster’s departure, which comes as the trust operates without a permanent CEO, was in the same month an employment tribunal judgment was published which concluded he had given “disingenuous” evidence in a previous role.

The written judgment said Mr Webster had been part of a “conspiracy” to constructively dismiss a director when he was a director at Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group (see further details below), and that “those responsible should face disciplinary action”.

HSJ asked the trust and the ICB if the judgment had influenced his departure, but both declined to comment on the issue, as did Mr Webster. 

The trust confirmed to HSJ that Mr Webster, who had been a board member, was “on secondment ahead of leaving”, but said: “Beyond that we can’t comment on individual personnel issues.” The ICB would not confirm what portfolio Mr Webster was taking up. 

The employment tribunal which led to the judgment critical of Mr Webster related to the case of Clive Rennie who, the judge concluded, was constructively dismissed while working for Norfolk and Waveney CCG.

The judgment said Mr Rennie was “without doubt constructively unfairly dismissed… Quite frankly the behaviour of the respondents being a public body should be further investigated and those responsible face disciplinary action.”

It also said Mr Webster was “disingenuous, unconvincing and his evidence was very much like the tide coming in and out when he realised he was caught out”.

HSJ asked both organisations if Mr Webster wanted to comment, but he declined.

His departure comes with CPFT’s management already under pressure after it decided to ditch a review into dozens of suicides at the trust, as reported last month – a move criticised by bereaved relatives and a whistleblower.

The trust also has no permanent CEO in place, following the departure of previous boss Anna Hills earlier this year. Finance director Scott Haldane is acting up as interim CEO while the organisation looks to recruit.