Finance director at special measures trust 'taking period of leave'

Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Foundation Trust, which is forecasting a year-end deficit of £31m for 2016-17, has appointed an interim finance director.

A spokeswoman for the trust said the period of leave for Marcus Hassall, the permanent finance director, was unrelated to the financial deterioration or the special measures announcement.

She would not explain the reasons for his leave, say when it started, or when the trust was expecting Mr Hassall to return.

He has held the post since 2014, after being deputy finance director for three years. He has been at the trust in a variety of finance roles since joining the former Grimsby Health Trust in 1995.

Northern Lincolnshire and Goole, which runs hospitals in Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Goole, was one of three trusts placed in financial special measures by NHS Improvement on Wednesday. This was partly due to a deterioration against the planned deficit of £23m.

Earlier this month, Richard Sunley took over as interim trust chief executive after Karen Jackson was seconded to NHS Improvement.

When the special measures announcement was made, Mr Sunley said the trust was struggling with increased emergency activity and a high medical vacancy rate, but added that 4 per cent efficiency savings had still been delivered. This is double the rate that Lord Carter said was generally achievable for the NHS provider sector.

According to a report set to go before the trust board next week, Robert Toole has been appointed as interim director of finance

The report says: “The recovery plan has delivered some benefit, but has not delivered the full traction in critical areas of activity recovery, temporary staffing controls and vacancy controls…

“The deteriorating position is clearly concerning from both an in-year and forward plan perspective. Control actions will require further enhancement, linking in with the wider NHSI support package.

“Cash flow will also be stretched by deteriorating trading, and efforts will be maintained to manage cash and protect frontline operations.”