Trust cuts board posts to make savings

Nottingham University Hospital Trust confirmed in recent board papers that two board members would not be replaced after leaving the trust “to address our significant overspend”.

It was confirmed that Alison Wynne, director of strategy and transformation who is leaving the trust at the end of March and deputy chief executive Rupert Egginton, who left in December 2023, would both not be replaced.

Ms Wynne has led the development of major capital schemes “Tomorrow’s NUH” and the National Rehabilitation Centre, which are both part of the government’s “new hospitals” building programme.

NUH chief executive Anthony May said in his report to the board: “Both vacancies offer an opportunity to review portfolios across the executive team. To address our significant overspend, it is important that all areas of NUH contribute and make savings to help reduce our deficit. After due consideration, the decision has been made not to replace Rupert and Alison.”

So far this year, NUH has reported a £42.2m deficit (£36.9m adverse to plan). Trusts and systems remain under pressure to deliver ambitious financial plans, made ever more challenging because of ongoing strike action.

Mr May said the work would be distributed to three other executive team members from 1 April. Teams responsible for strategy and annual planning would report to director of integration Tim Guyler, chief digital and information officer Andy Callow would be responsible for improvement and transformation teams and chief financial officer Paul Matthew would lead on the major capital programmes.

Chief executive Anthony May later told HSJ that finance was “one of many factors” in the decision to cut the posts.

Mr May added: “[The] planned departures have given us the opportunity to strategically review and redistribute executive portfolios, the overall process of which included the addition of a new director of digital services role in 2023.

“We are establishing an executive team to best meet the needs of the organisation as we plan towards the future, and our financial position was just one of many factors taken into consideration as part of that process”.