Health boss sacked for swearing
The chief executive of Lincolnshire's hospitals has been sacked for using foul language.
But supporters of Gary Walker – the man who succeeded in taking United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust out of £24.5m of debt – says his mild swearing is being used as an excuse to get rid of him.
Mr Walker fell out with bosses at NHS East Midlands at the end of the 2008/09 financial year when the trust failed to meet Government targets for 18-week treatment times and A&E waiting periods.
He argued that unprecedented levels of sickness meant it was safer to cancel non-urgent operations and concentrate on treating emergency patients.
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But following the spat, Mr Walker went off sick with stress and was last week sacked.
It now emerges that he was pulled up in front of a disciplinary panel at ULHT on February 1 led by the trust's new chairman Paul Richardson.
He was told that his swearing was unacceptable which led to his dismissal on Wednesday.
Former chairman of the trust David Bowles said that Mr Walker swore no more than any other member of the trust's board.
"He was nothing like Gordon Ramsey," he said.
Mr Walker has told the Echo that he intends to appeal against his dismissal.
"I am devastated by the trust's decision last week," he said.
"I intend to appeal the decision and cannot therefore comment further, although I understand they have started recruiting a replacement chief executive."
Head of communications at ULHT Clare White said: "We can neither confirm nor deny any reasons for the departure of the chief executive Gary Walker.
"He left the trust on Wednesday, February 3 and we will now begin the process of recruiting a new chief executive to lead the trust.
"In the interim, the current management arrangements, with Bernard Chalk as acting chief executive, will remain."
Comments
by Carl, Greetwell Rd
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 3:48PM
“He should have been fired ages ago for malingering. Time off for stress??? Protracted vacation. Let me tell my boss I'm off for 6 months with full pay due to stress. Any bets on how long I have that job. He pulled the stress card when people started questioning his work. It's part of the job, you can't just take your ball and go home when you feel like it.
Glad to hear the board figured out how to show this bum the door.”
by Rose, Lincoln
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 3:48PM
“Pathetic”
by Ronnie Moncrieff, Kirkby on Bain
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 9:42AM
“Just another example of britain gone mad and being run by petty do gooders”
by NHS, Worker
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 9:24AM
“Strewth, David Bowles has a lot to say on this matter. Is the Echo his mouth piece? I am all for balance and the token comments from the board are welcome, but it seems barely a day goes by without Bowles laying into the service. Perhaps it is a chance to speak English that he has been missing over the last year or so.”
by boss, lincoln
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 9:10AM
“another one for a big pay off,funny though these people who are on this so called board they must be do gooders who dont do anything wrong they should be gettin the boot and named and shammed would nt last 5 minites at our company”
by Curious, Lincoln
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 7:18AM
“We need the full story here. One mans mild swearing is another persons disgusting language. It also depends in which forum and context it was used. As a publically financed organisation, the public deserve the facts, so come on ULHT, lets have the full facts.”