Belfast health trust chairman sacked by Stormont minister

By David Young (PA)

The chairman of the troubled Belfast health trust has been sacked by Stormont’s Health Minister.

Mike Nesbitt’s decision to dismiss Ciaran Mulgrew comes amid a series of controversies within the trust.

A statement from the Department of Health said Mr Nesbitt believed a “fresh start” was required for the organisation.

Mr Mulgrew will leave his post on Friday.

In May, a leaked report into staff culture at the cardiac surgery unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) in Belfast raised concerns about an intolerable working environment and a pattern of consistently poor behaviour.

Elsewhere within the trust, the delivery of two flagship new hospital builds on the Royal site ­– a maternity hospital and accompanying children’s hospital – have been hit by delays and difficulties.

Last month, Mr Nesbitt subjected the trust to increased oversight measures, ramping up his department’s accountability processes to their highest level.

Confirming the minister’s decision to sack Mr Mulgrew, a Department of Health statement on Thursday said: “Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has decided on a change of leadership at Belfast HSC Trust.

“The current trust chair will cease to hold the post from Friday July 4.

“The minister believes a fresh start is required for the trust.

“The minister and department would like to publicly thank Mr Mulgrew for his contribution to the trust and the wider Health and Social Care system.

“A process for filling the chair’s post is being initiated as a priority.”

The interim chief executive of the Belfast trust, Maureen Edwards, thanked Mr Mulgrew for his “unwavering support, contribution and commitment”.

“Since his appointment, Ciaran has helped us through some very challenging times,” she said.

“In particular, he has shown courage and leadership over the last few months in bringing focus and committing to addressing issues around culture and behaviours in our organisation. Ciaran always acknowledges the fantastic work of staff in Belfast trust and is proud of their many achievements.

“He is leaving the organisation with our gratitude and best wishes for the future.

“I wish to reassure our staff and the public that we will continue to make tangible improvements across the organisation to benefit staff, patients and service users”.

DUP member of the Assembly’s Health Committee Diane Dodds said the development reflected the “sheer scale of crisis” within the trust.

But she highlighted that many of the issues pre-dated Mr Mulgrew’s tenure.

“Responsibilities within the trust go much wider than simply one individual and the Department of Health will have had an awareness of these issues also,” she said.

“The Health Estates division in the department has an army of professional advisers who have worked hands in glove with the Belfast trust on its major capital projects and decision-making around them. Removing the chair of the Belfast trust will not deflect scrutiny away from many of the minister’s senior officials.

“There is a wider systemic problem within the Belfast trust that will not be resolved by simply removing one individual.

“However, we will need to hear more detail about what exactly has prompted this decision at this time. That is something I will continue to probe both within the Health Committee and beyond.”

Ciaran Mulgrew is the chair of the Belfast Trust