Worcestershire Royal Hospital boss resigns after sick leave

Worcestershire Royal Hospital has been under severe pressure in recent months

The head of an under-pressure NHS trust who has been on sick leave since April has resigned.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust chief executive Penny Venables has been unable to work since 13 April.

The trust was criticised in June in a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection for putting emergency patients "at risk". Inspectors said patients had been left in corridors.

The trust said Mrs Venables would be remembered as an "effective leader".

It was unable to provide further details of her illness.

Penny Venables' decision was a "personal" one, the trust said

Harry Turner, trust chairman, said: "I am most grateful for all the work Penny has done.

"She will be remembered as an effective leader who put patients and staff at the heart of her decisions.

'Personal decision'

"There have been some issues over the winter but I have had no conversation with Penny about that. This is entirely a personal decision."

He said acting chief executive Chris Tidman would continue in the role for the present.

The trust runs the Worcestershire Royal, Redditch's Alexandra Hospital and Kidderminster Hospital.

In an "unprecedented" move in April, West Midlands Ambulance Service demanded the trust bring in a doctor who is usually on call for major disasters to Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Patients were queuing in the corridor and being looked after in ambulances rather than being admitted to the emergency unit.

Emergency departments under pressure

• January: Paramedic Stuart Gardner blows the whistle on overcrowding in Worcester's corridors

• February: Five emergency specialists leave the trust claiming the "massive overcrowding" was a disgrace and caused "serious harm" to many patients

• 23 March: The BBC reports two cardiac arrests in the corridor in one week and 28 patients waiting to access the emergency department

• March: The Care Quality Commission undertakes an unannounced inspection. A risk summit involving all health parties in the county takes place the next day

• Easter 2015: Routine surgery is cancelled ahead of the Easter holiday to free up beds and ensure the smooth running of A&E

In June, the CQC said there were no security measures in place at Worcestershire Royal's emergency department, and equipment was dusty or past its expiry date.

Inspectors said one child had been waiting two hours for pain relief and other patients were left in corridors.

In February, the entire consultant team running A&E services at the Alexandra resigned amid claims of a "bullying culture" and a breakdown of the relationship between medical staff and management.

However, the trust said it had made a number of "significant improvements".

Mr Turner said: "The focus of the board and myself is to continue to build on our improvement and build an NHS Trust that is continuing to deliver excellent care."