Tuesday, June 19, 2007

All Change at Powys Health Board.

Andy Williams, Chief Executive of Powys Local Health Board has resigned today. I'm told that he has gone on holiday - and is finishing at the end of June. So, in reality, he is resigning with immediate effect. And I'm also told that Chair, Chris Mann has got nothing to say beyond the virtually nothing that was in today's press release. This is all very fishy. There's a lot more to come out on this story yet.

I thought that Andy Williams was OK - even if I totally disapproved of the puerile and unprofessional public gloating that he indulged in when 'arbitration' found more in favour of the LHB in its row over funding with the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital last year. I made it clear to him and the Chair at tehtime that I thought that sort of behaviour should have been left behind in the school playground

The resignation was inevitable, once Labour lost the power in the National Assembly to force through its hospital closure plans. Andy Williams was so publicly committed to the Community Hospital closure plans in Powys that he would have no credibility left at all if he was forced to back down - which he would have been. There must be a big question mark over how long Chris Mann can stay on as Chair - particularly since there's an Assembly Government inquiry going on at present. At least an inquiry was announced by the Assembly Government last March. We await more news. The people should be told. Job for media sleuths here.

7 comments:

ganesh family said...

Going so soon after the LHB's had a bash at which they congratulated themselves on been so "Good".

The fact is that Ann Lloyd called them in and laid the law down, told them they were "not fit for purpose".

Heads will roll, and thats the first one.

Glyn Davies said...

And how long until the next? To just say nothing to the public is not acceptable. They won't get away with that

Anonymous said...

Have you seen this Glyn? So much for the new conservative party? Tories trying to abolish Ken Livingstone for a second time? No matter what sensible Tories like you think the Tory crackpots are still in charge of your party trying to abolish democracy in London because they can't beat Red Ken.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6769065.stm

Anonymous said...

I'm always a little bit concerned when people such as these disappear off the radar at a critical time.

I do think there needs to be a review of hospitals in Powys in terms of ensuring the best possible care for all. However, this will now mean we need to get a new chief exec in who will have to start from scratch. I'm not backing the previous CEO as I didn't know much about him or his policies.

More importantly, how does Chris Mann sit as Chair after all the campaigns he used to be involved in years ago against similar closures and cuts?

Christopher Glamorgan said...

Looks like Ann Lloyd is laying it on thick and calling for fundamental change in the news today. Talking about jobs, or losing them, my thoughts are with Rosemary Butler at the moment... How can one woman have so much bad luck?

http://glamorganshire.blogspot.com/2007/06/whatever-shall-we-do-with-butler.html

Anonymous said...

I wonder what his pay off was
That is something that so annoys me
They go no retribution or accountabilty and get paid big bucks into the bargain

Glyn Davies said...

What really is outrageous is that the Health Bboard are just sticking two fingers up to any media who ask any questions. Might do anothr post on this.