Executive Summary: Prestigious Cambridge in the doghouse

Cambridge Hospitals heading for special measures…

All the signs are that Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust will become the first of the Shelford Group top regional teaching trusts to be put into special measures next week. Keith McNeil, who announced he was departing from the chief executive post just days ago, has indicated it is set to be rated “inadequate” and therefore likely to be put into the special measures regime.

Dr McNeil has said he rejects the finding and defended his work, while the CQC has not yet published its report findings.

Expect a lot more debate in the coming week.

…as one in 10 chief exec posts are not permanently filled

In a week where a high profile chief executive has resigned in the latest of a string of resignations, HSJ analysis reveals that more than one in chief executives are now interims or shortly to depart their roles.

In 33 trusts the chief executive post is held by an interim or acting or the postholder is due to leave shortly.

The analysis also shows that the average tenure for an acute trust chief executive is only two years and 10 months. In the reader comments Glen Burley, chief executive of South Warwickshire Foundation Trust, said this was concerning because “in my experience it takes a CEO about three years to gain the trust and confidence of the workforce, particularly consultants.”

King’s Fund chief executive Chris Ham said these figures should be a “wake-up call” to the NHS to develop a “strong pipeline of leaders for the future”.