Failure to meet A&E targets results in resignation of hospital chief executive

Posted: August 27, 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence 

The chief executive of a hospital in Northamptonshire has resigned from her post after failing to achieve the targets set by the Department of Health for A&E departments across the country.  After taking up the post two years ago, chief executive Lorene Read struggled to meet the 4-hour target waiting time for A&E patients, while she also failed to address the many financial issues faced by the hospital.

Until the trust fill the place of Ms. Read, director of nursing and deputy chief executive, Clare Culpin, will take over temporarily at the Kettering General Hospital Trust.  The hospital chairman, Steve Hone, praised the work of Ms. Read, saying that she had shown exceptional commitment to the hospital during her two years work. 

85.2% transit time provision

The current Department of Health A&E transfer time target aims to provide 95% of patients with a hospital bed, or discharge them, within a waiting time of four hours upon arrival at the department – not the amount of time it should take for the patient to see a doctor.  Between the three months spanning April to June of 2013, the trust only succeeded in providing an A&E transit time of 85.2%, whereas from July to August 2013, the trust saw improvements, with 93% of patients being delivered.

Mr. Hone congratulated Ms. Read’s efforts, saying: “She has guided the trust through an exceptionally difficult period both within the trust and in the wider health economy.”

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