Interim management support for Good Hope

The Board of Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust has agreed to ask Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust to provide interim management support for Good Hope Hospital.

The two NHS hospitals yesterday signed contracts to allow Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust to provide a package of management support.

The agreement has the full support of Birmingham and the Black Country Strategic Health Authority.

It means that, from November 1, Dr Mark Goldman, the Chief Executive of Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, will take over from Anne Heast and also become Chief Executive and Accountable Officer of Good Hope Hospital.

Heart of England will also be providing additional senior staff with expertise in the Foundation Trust process to work alongside the Good Hope management team in planning for the hospital's future.

The decision to seek interim management support from Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust was made after the Trust Board decided to pursue Foundation Trust status and Anne Heast was subsequently offered a new job and announced in September that she was leaving the Trust.

Graham Comfort, the Chairman of Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust, said: "The Trust Board passed a resolution formally thanking Anne for her professional input and contribution to the hospital and the professional handover to the new management arrangements.

"As has been stated before, the support being provided by Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust does not represent either a takeover or merger of the two organisations. Good Hope Hospital remains an independent NHS Trust.

“Working with Heart of England was seen by the board as the best option for Good Hope and the local health economy. Good Hope Hospital needs to achieve recurring financial balance and prepare for achieving foundation status in 2008.

“Heart of England’s success in achieving both these objectives will prove invaluable to us as an organisation. We are looking forward to using their expertise and experience to plan for Good Hope Hospital’s future success.”

For more information, contact Andy Comber, Head of Communications, at Good Hope NHS Trust: 0121 378 2211 ext 1146, Mob: 07974 575104.

Editor’s note:

Since August 2003, Good Hope Hospital has been managed under a three-year franchise agreement with its partner, Tribal Secta. Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust is in final discussions with Tribal Secta to achieve a mutually agreed early termination of the contract.

Source : Good Hope