Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether Kevin McGee will receive fill-time salaries for his each of his positions as Chief Executive of Blackpool Trust and East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.
Answered by Edward Argar
There were a number of issues raised around the appointment process for the Chair of the Blackpool Trust on 27 June 2018. National Health Service foundation trusts operate within a clear accountability framework. It is for the governors of a foundation trust to appoint the chair. NHS Improvement is not involved in the recruitment of chairs of foundation trusts unless there is a breach of the licence. In the appointment of the Chair of Blackpool Trust the Chief Executive voluntarily stood down from all of the interview process prior to the appointment.
The appointment of a Chief Executive in an NHS foundation trust is the responsibility of the trust’s non-executive directors, including the chair, with approval from the Trust’s council of governors
Where trusts are facing challenges, it is right that NHS Improvement provides support and this can sometimes come in the form of shared leadership with nearby organisations.
The arrangement that has been put in place for Blackpool is designed to deliver a number of benefits including:
- enhanced quality of care;
- financial sustainability; and
- improved performance.
The Chief Executive of Blackpool NHS Trust and East Lancashire NHS Trust, Mr McGee will be paid a single salary. The process for agreeing the remuneration of the chief executive involves the agreement by the remuneration committees of each trust, in line with the organisational corporate governance procedures. The remuneration is in line with the NHS Improvement regulatory guidance on Very Senior Manager pay and was also approved by the Department in June 2019.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what cognisance NHS Improvement took of the oral contribution of the Minister for Health of 27 June 2018, Official Report, column 1002, on irregularities of process that had taken place including at NHS Improvement in respect of the appointment process for the Chair of the Blackpool Trust, Pearse Butler, when NHS Improvement provided advice to that Trust on the permanent appointment of Kevin McGee as the Chief Executive of that Trust and to operate as Chief Executive of both the Blackpool Trust and the East Lancashire Hospitals Trust between June 2019 and September 2019.
Answered by Edward Argar
There were a number of issues raised around the appointment process for the Chair of the Blackpool Trust on 27 June 2018. National Health Service foundation trusts operate within a clear accountability framework. It is for the governors of a foundation trust to appoint the chair. NHS Improvement is not involved in the recruitment of chairs of foundation trusts unless there is a breach of the licence. In the appointment of the Chair of Blackpool Trust the Chief Executive voluntarily stood down from all of the interview process prior to the appointment.
The appointment of a Chief Executive in an NHS foundation trust is the responsibility of the trust’s non-executive directors, including the chair, with approval from the Trust’s council of governors
Where trusts are facing challenges, it is right that NHS Improvement provides support and this can sometimes come in the form of shared leadership with nearby organisations.
The arrangement that has been put in place for Blackpool is designed to deliver a number of benefits including:
- enhanced quality of care;
- financial sustainability; and
- improved performance.
The Chief Executive of Blackpool NHS Trust and East Lancashire NHS Trust, Mr McGee will be paid a single salary. The process for agreeing the remuneration of the chief executive involves the agreement by the remuneration committees of each trust, in line with the organisational corporate governance procedures. The remuneration is in line with the NHS Improvement regulatory guidance on Very Senior Manager pay and was also approved by the Department in June 2019.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consultation NHS Improvement had with hon. Members whose constituencies fall within the area served by the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on their discussions and advice to the Trust between June 2019 and September 2019 on (a) the possibility of merging services and provisions and (b) on allowing the East Lancashire Trust's Chief Executive Kevin McGee to operate as the permanent Chief Executive of both trusts.
Answered by Edward Argar
The Chair at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Chair at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust sought the views of NHS England and NHS Improvement on the possibility of merging services and provision between the two Trusts.
Both Trusts were able to provide assurances that their proposals would bring benefits, to both organisations, and improve the care of patient populations in Blackpool and East Lancashire. On this basis NHS England and NHS Improvement were able to respond that they had no objections to the proposal. Final approvals will be needed from within their own organisations.
NHS England and NHS Improvement has had no direct engagement with hon. Members whose constituencies fall within the area served by the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, on their discussions and advice to the Trust between June 2019 and September 2019.
The appointment of a Chief Executive in an NHS foundation trust is the responsibility of the trust’s non-executive directors, including the chair, with approval from the Trust’s council of governors.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in what capacity NHS Improvement gave advice to the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust between June 2019 and September 2019 on the appropriateness of the Trust (a) discussing the possibility of merging services and provision between the Trust and the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and (b) the potential for the East Lancashire Trust's Chief Executive, Kevin McGee, to operate as the permanent Chief Executive of both trusts.
Answered by Edward Argar
The Chair at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Chair at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust sought the views of NHS England and NHS Improvement on the possibility of merging services and provision between the two Trusts.
Both Trusts were able to provide assurances that their proposals would bring benefits, to both organisations, and improve the care of patient populations in Blackpool and East Lancashire. On this basis NHS England and NHS Improvement were able to respond that they had no objections to the proposal. Final approvals will be needed from within their own organisations.
NHS England and NHS Improvement has had no direct engagement with hon. Members whose constituencies fall within the area served by the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, on their discussions and advice to the Trust between June 2019 and September 2019.
The appointment of a Chief Executive in an NHS foundation trust is the responsibility of the trust’s non-executive directors, including the chair, with approval from the Trust’s council of governors.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what cognisance NHS Improvement took of the oral contribution of the Minister for Health of 27 June 2018, Official Report, column 1002, on irregularities of process that had taken place including at NHS Improvement in respect of the appointment process for the Chair of the Blackpool Trust, Pearse Butler, when advising the Chair of the Trust between June 2019 and September 2019 on those matters.
Answered by Edward Argar
There were a number of issues raised around the appointment process for the Chair of the Blackpool Trust on 27 June 2018. NHS foundation trusts operate within a clear accountability framework. It is for the governors of a Foundation Trust to appoint the chair. NHS Improvement is not involved in the recruitment of chairs of foundation trusts unless there is a breach of the licence. In the appointment of the Chair of Blackpool Trust the Chief Executive voluntarily stood down from all of the interview process prior to the appointment.
The recommendations arising from the Kirkup Review and subsequent Kark Review provide a mandate for reviewing and strengthening NHS Improvement’s role in providing oversight and support relating to board-level appointments in both NHS trusts and foundation trusts.
The improvements being developed are informed by an appreciation that no single intervention in board appointments will result in provider organisations being better led. But, a more coherent, structured approach is needed - one that works across the whole life cycle of an individual board member and which is aligned to other leadership improvement initiatives.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 6.1 of the Report of the Liverpool Community Health Independent Review by Dr Bill Kirkup, published in January 2018, what steps NHS Improvement has taken to implement the recommendation that when approving Trust Board appointments, NHS Improvement should take note of the level of experience of appointees and level of risk in the Trust and should ensure a system of support and mentorship for Board members where indicated.
Answered by Edward Argar
NHS Improvement set out its response to the recommendations in the Kirkup report into issues at Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust in a paper to its Board on 22 March 2018. This was followed by a further paper to the NHS Improvement Board of 24 May 2018 providing an update on actions taken in response to the recommendations of the report. Both papers have been placed in the public domain and can be accessed at the following links:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/BM1831_Kirkup_update.pdf
The Interim People Plan, published by NHS England and Improvement in June 2019, sets out firm commitments for improving the leadership culture in the National Health Service and for strengthening the management and development of talent. A key associated initiative is the co-creation of an NHS Leadership Compact, by which to establish the cultural values and behaviours expected to be demonstrated by senior NHS leaders and the support and development they should expect to receive.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with NHS Improvement on its progress in implementing the Kirkup governance report, published in February 2018.
Answered by Edward Argar
NHS Improvement set out its response to the recommendations in the Kirkup report into issues at Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust in a paper to its Board on 22 March 2018. This was followed by a further paper to the NHS Improvement Board of 24 May 2018 providing an update on actions taken in response to the recommendations of the report. Both papers have been placed in the public domain and can be accessed at the following links:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/BM1831_Kirkup_update.pdf
The Interim People Plan, published by NHS England and Improvement in June 2019, sets out firm commitments for improving the leadership culture in the National Health Service and for strengthening the management and development of talent. A key associated initiative is the co-creation of an NHS Leadership Compact, by which to establish the cultural values and behaviours expected to be demonstrated by senior NHS leaders and the support and development they should expect to receive.