NHS boss quits over 'unachievable' funding plan

Dr Sarah Wollaston said there was no point promising the unachievable

NHS Devon's leader has quit her role with a warning over "unacceptable consequences" to services from available funding.

Dr Sarah Wollaston, chairwoman of NHS Devon since December 2021, said on X, formerly Twitter: "Genuinely sad to be leaving NHS Devon but in a nutshell, not happy as chair to sign off on the financials so time for me to go.

"No point promising the unachievable, especially if only achievable with unacceptable consequences."

NHS Devon said Kevin Orford had become interim chairman.

'Not easy'

Dr Wollaston was former Conservative MP for Totnes before she joined the Liberal Democrats and lost her seat at the 2019 general election.

She is not standing in the 2024 vote.

She said in a statement that leaving NHS Devon had "not been an easy decision", but added that the "time is right for me to step back to allow a new chair to work with the board on delivering the performance and financial plans for this year and beyond".

She also said she was "hugely proud of the way partners across Devon have worked together to improve services, including pioneering work in elective care at the Nightingale Hospital, delivering millions of Covid vaccinations, improving 111, reducing waiting times and forging new ways of working together in provider collaboratives".

And she said she was "delighted that NHS Devon has an excellent chief executive officer in Steve Moore" who would "deliver the improvements local people need and deserve".

She added that she was "grateful for all the opportunities I have had in the NHS" and thanked the "wonderful and dedicated people I work with at NHS Devon".

'Valuable contribution'

Elizabeth O’Mahony, south west regional director at NHS England, thanked Dr Wollaston for her "valuable contribution" and said arrangements would be made to appoint a substantive chair.

Interim chairman Mr Orford wished Dr Wollaston "all the best for the future" and he was "looking forward" to supporting NHS Devon staff and to "maintain our system focus on addressing the challenges we face".

The Labour Party has said it will "pay NHS staff properly for overtime to work evening and weekend shifts to bust the backlog, paid for by abolishing non-dom tax loophole for the very wealthy".

Labour also said it would also deliver a dentistry rescue plan to provide 700,000 extra appointments each year.

The Conservatives have pledged £1bn a year in a bid to increase the number of GP appointments in the UK.

They also said they would build GP surgeries and community diagnostic centres if re-elected to government.

The Liberal Democrats have pledged an £8bn package for health and care services.

The party said its proposals for government would be funded by reversing tax cuts for banks and closing tax loopholes exploited by the wealthiest individuals.