The chairman of under-fire Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust resigned this week declaring there was still "much work to be done" to reverse its ailing fortunes.
Jenni Bowley, who had been at the trust since it was formed in 1999, said: "I have decided to stand down now to allow somebody else to be involved at an early stage in taking on these challenges."
The trust was 'named and shamed' as one of only 12 in England and the only one in Greater London to collect zero stars out of a possible three in new NHS performance ratings. Its management was given a stark ultimatum by Health Secretary Alan Milburn: improve by Boxing Day or be sacked.
"There is still much to do including improving the trust's star rating performance, opening the new development at Barnet and further developing the Chase Farm site along with meeting NHS Plan targets in the future. All these will require a major commitment," said Mrs Bowley.
But she said it had not all been doom and gloom during her time at the trust. "I took on the role with a major priority in mind to lead the trust through its key first couple of years. So much had to be done in bedding down a newly enlarged organisation and developing fresh managerial and clinical relationships across two sites.
"That was a major challenge taking much time and effort and I believe it has now largely been achieved."
Trust vice-chairman Nadia Conway will be acting chairman until a new appointment is made.
November 28, 2001 19:52
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