Finance director leaves by 'mutual agreement'

Patrick Butterworth started work at West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust in June, four months after chief executive Samantha Jones took up her post.

Mr Butterworth had previously been commercial director at Hinchingbrooke Health Care Trust, which is managed under a franchise by Circle.

Mr Butterworth replaced former finance director Anna Anderson, who had been in post since 2010 and has since left the NHS, the trust said in a statement.

Malcolm Dennett has become interim director of finance at the £278m-turnover trust following Mr Butterworth’s departure.

The trust has seen significant upheaval at director level over recent months.

Former chief operating officer Natalie Forrest is currently in the process of being seconded to another trust, having been promoted from the nursing director role as recently as March.

Both the nursing director and chief operating officer roles are now occupied by interims.

Michael Van der Watt took over as medical director in April this year.

The trust is also looking for a permanent chair. The position has been covered on an interim basis by Mahdi Hasan since Thomas Hanahoe retired in May after eight years in the role.

Jan Filochowski served as West Hertfordshire chief executive before being appointed to Great Ormond Street Hospital Foundation Trust in August 2012.