Resignations leave Trust exposed claim Pennine unions

Date published: 10/02/2006

Following the surprise ‘standing down’ of the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Chairman Steven Price and the announcement that Chris Appleby the Chief Executive plan’s to leave ‘in the next few months’, Pennine trade union convenor Pete Hinchliffe said, “These announcements could not have come at a worse time. We are in the middle of a dual consultation exercise on the future shape of the NHS  across Greater Manchester. This has got to leave the Trust in a very weak and exposed position. If there were to be further changes on the Trust Board, they should have been made much earlier, following publication of the Alberti/Durose Report.”

“Although the Chairman was criticised very heavily in the report, he has played a leading role in ensuring that dialogue continued between unions and management over the past few difficult months. The trade unions are committed to ensuring that there will be no disruption of services to patients at this time. We know that staff will be surprised and concerned by the timing of this announcement and we will working hard on their behalf during this period to promote as much stability as possible.”