The chief executive of one of the country’s most under-pressure hospital trusts has left her role following months of turmoil surrounding her suspension and an ongoing investigation into how it was handled.
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust today confirmed Tracey Fletcher is leaving after four years in charge.
William Harvey Hospital is one of the hospitals managed by the trust
The recent leadership chaos at the top of the trust, which is the biggest in Kent serving 700,000 patients and runs five hospitals, has seen its rating downgraded by NHS England.
The struggling institution has come under fire for years, particularly relating to its dire financial situation and scrutiny of maternity services.
This week, KentOnline revealed that the trust was even asking staff to come forward to assess whether their jobs could be abolished in a cost-cutting exercise.
It has now come to light that NHS England (NHSE), which oversees the operations of NHS trusts, downgraded East Kent Hospitals in a new set of “provider capability ratings” in April, the first trust to be lowered in the country.
They have been demoted from Amber-Red to Red, the Health Service Journal (HSJ) reported.
NHSE says that these ratings are changed when there are “increased concerns” or when “serious situations” arise and downgraded EKH in April
Tracey Fletcher, the chief executive of East Kent Hospitals, has raised a grievance about the way her suspension was handled
A red rating indicates “significant concerns arising from poor delivery, governance and other issues.”
The trust had already been ordered by NHSE to ensure that a “a strong and stable board and executive leadership team [are] in place”.
Ms Fletcher’s departure comes just weeks after the trust’s chairman, Annette Doherty, also stepped down amid mounting scrutiny over the handling of Ms Fletcher’s suspension.
In a statement released today, Ms Fletcher said: “It has been a privilege to work in my local Trust and with such dedicated staff across the organisation and within the health and care system.
“It is humbling to experience the commitment given in providing healthcare services to the local population and the dedication in doing that.”
Ms Fletcher joined the trust in April 2022 from Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, where she had served as chief executive since 2013.
Annette Doherty, chair of the trust, is reported to have given Tracey Fletcher an ultimatum during a mid-year performance review
Her absence from work first emerged in November last year, when the trust told KentOnline she was taking a period of “unplanned leave”.
However, it later emerged she had in fact been formally suspended following a performance review meeting with then-chairman Ms Doherty.
According to the HSJ, Ms Fletcher was allegedly told to accept a settlement package or face suspension.
She was suspended three days later and subsequently lodged a formal grievance over the process.
A draft report into the handling of the suspension reportedly found Ms Doherty had “exceeded her authority” and “badly handled” the situation, while also warning the trust faced a potential litigation risk.
The suspension was later lifted following a separate independent review into concerns about Ms Fletcher’s conduct, which found no evidence of misconduct.
Dr Olu Olasode is the current interim chairman at the trust. Picture: EKHUFT
Despite that, she never returned to active duty, with Dr Des Holden continuing as acting chief executive throughout the investigation.
He will remain in the post until a permanent replacement is appointed.
The trust’s interim chairman, Dr Olu Olasode, said: “Under Tracey’s leadership, the Trust has made significant progress in many areas.
“Its maternity service has been upgraded from ‘inadequate’ to ‘good’ by the Care Quality Commission, and it has secured a large programme of investment to improve its buildings, facilities and equipment.”
Health campaigner Ken Rogers, who represents the Concern for Health in East Kent (Chek) group, said: “It is deeply regrettable that Tracey Fletcher has chosen to step down following recent events.
“Tracey has worked tirelessly to improve healthcare across East Kent, and her leadership has been instrumental in driving progress during an exceptionally challenging period for the NHS.
“Her commitment to patient safety, staff wellbeing, and service improvement has been evident throughout her tenure.
“We sincerely hope that this episode does not deter the NHS from continuing to draw on her abundant skills and experience.
“The system needs leaders of her calibre – people who combine compassion with competence and who understand the realities of frontline care.
“On a personal note, I want to thank Tracey for her contribution to improving healthcare in East Kent and wish her every success in whatever role she chooses next.
“It is a shame that her time with the trust has ended in this way, and I hope lessons will be learned to ensure that such situations are handled with greater fairness and transparency in future.”
That investment includes a £29 million programme to expand same-day emergency care services at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford and the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.
The leadership upheaval comes during a period of sustained pressure for the trust, which runs the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, William Harvey Hospital and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital.
Last month, Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed the trust had been placed into a new national NHS “intensive recovery” programme for struggling hospital organisations facing long waits, financial pressures and high leadership churn.