Heath chief sacked for not improving hospitals

A health chief has been sacked for failing to improve standards at the two hospitals under his control.

Officials from Monitor, the independent hospital regulator, said Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust was in "significant breach" of the terms relating to its status.

The regulator said the trust failed to improve in areas including treating patients quickly and improving waiting times in accident and emergency. It removed Richard Bourne from his position with immediate effect.

Mr Bourne was reappointed as chairman of the trust in September after four years in the role.

Last month Colchester dropped from "excellent" to "fair" in the annual NHS performance ratings. Today Sir Peter Dixon, chairman of University College London Hospitals trust, was appointed interim chairman.

The trust had consistently high mortality rates, 12 per cent higher than expected for this year and last.

It also failed to hit the government target, over three consecutive quarters, which promises patients treatment within 18 weeks of referral by their GP, and failed to sustain the target of four-hour A&E waiting times.

Monitor said: "Regulatory action has been prompted by the trust's failure to comply with healthcare standards, its failure to exercise its functions effectively, efficiently and economically, and serious and wide-ranging concerns as to overall governance and leadership at the trust."

William Moyes, the regulator's executive chairman, said: "This is about making sure the trust is in a position to identify risks that affect patient services and deliver an effective response."