Royal Cornwall chief exec announces departure

In a statement announcing his departure he said developing the trust, which has a challenging foundation trust application ahead of it, would require a “leadership commitment” of between four and five years and so it would be in the best interests of himself and the trust for him to go at this stage.

At Weston the former chief executive of Torbay Care Trust will work on developing more integrated health and social care services and will also work with the King’s Fund on promoting integrated care and with the emerging community service’s social enterprise in the south west.

Mr Colclough will be replaced on an interim basis by Lezli Boswell who led Cornwall Partnership Foundation Trust to foundation trust status and has been working with NHS South West helping trusts through the pipeline for the last ten months.

RCHT recently suspended the submission of its foundation trust application after the Care Quality Commission raised concerns about the use of the World Health Organisation’s surgical checklist. However, the trust has now satisfied the CQC that procedures are in place.

RCHT chairman, Martin Watts, has praised Peter’s significant contribution to the organisation over the past two and a half years and welcomed Lezli’s considerable expertise that will assist RCHT to become a foundation trust.

The post of chief executive will be formally advertised during September and RCHT hope to be in a position to announce the permanent appointee by the end of the calendar year.