Major FT brings in turnaround director

Steve Leivers has been appointed director of transformation and turnaround.

The trust is forecasting a deficit of £42.5m and has struggled to meet the four hour target in its two accident and emergency departments for over a year.

It also has one of the largest backlogs of patients waiting over 18 weeks for elective treatment.

Mr Leivers will concentrate on delivering a two year financial plan for the trust, which includes a cost improvement programme and looking at broader service sustainability in south east London.

He was previously turnaround director at North Bristol Trust and has trained as a nurse.

King’s has struggled with its takeover of the Princess Royal University Hospital in Bromley in 2013, and has seen its finances and performance decline since the takeover.

Consultants PwC have also been “fully deployed” into the trust to review its cost improvement programmes and work with its critical care, theatres and diagnostics, liver, renal and surgery, trauma, emergency, and acute medicine departments to make improvements, according to the trust’s January board papers.

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PwC will attend weekly meetings with all divisions.

On his appointment, Mr Leivers said: “I am passionate about patient care and about improving the quality of healthcare. These are challenging financial times, and I hope that my experience of financial turnaround and transformation will help ensure King’s a successful future without compromising the excellent standard of care it is known for.”

King’s chief executive Tim Smart said: “The decision to appoint a board level transformation and turnaround director is an indication of the importance of developing and delivering a robust financial plan for the trust and the health economy. Steve’s experience and expertise will be vital in planning for our future.”