Chief executive of mental health trust resigns

He was appointed in July 2009 after predecessor Simon Crawford resigned following a critical report from the Care Quality Commission.

In a statement Mr Cubbon said improving standards “has been an all-consuming commitment for me in the last two and a half years. I’ve reached the decision to step down now that the trust is well on its way to achieving its strategic goals, with a strong executive team in place who can drive these plans to fruition.”

He will remain in post until March. Mr Cubbon said he intends to stay working in health and social care at a senior level.

The trust’s most recent date for applying to the Department of Health for foundation trust status is January 2013, meaning it could qualify just before the April 2014 deadline.

The £254m-turnover organisation is one of three London mental health trusts not yet authorised as a foundation trust. The other seven are already authorised.

Mr Cubbon said: “I have really enjoyed the challenge of driving through the changes at West London Mental Health Trust which I couldn’t have done without the many outstanding people who’ve worked with me to improve the lives of our patients and their carers. I’d like to thank staff and our external partners for their support, considerable efforts and hard work.”

Chair Nigel McCorkell said: “I’d like to congratulate Peter for his achievements and for his hard work in driving the improvement agenda. It’s my aim to recruit a chief executive with the experience and ability to sustain the changes Peter has put in place and build upon them.

“I will be working to recruit someone with the skills to continue to support and empower teams across our services to deliver excellent care to all our patients.”