Hospital chiefs told to stay home

The trust has stressed the review is not linked to patient care

Two top bosses at a North Yorkshire NHS trust have been ordered to stay at home while a review of the way the trust is managed is carried out.

Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust chief executive Alison Guy and finance director Bernard Flynn have both been told not to go into work.

Acting chief executive Mike Potts has been brought in while a review of the trust is carried out.

A hospital spokesman has stressed the review is not linked to patient care.

The move comes after the Audit Commission concluded that inadequate leadership and ineffective management were the causes of the worst deficits in the NHS nationally.

There is no evidence of impropriety on the part of any officer Richard Grunwell, trust chairman

The watchdog made its conclusion after studying 25 public interest reports it issued last year to highlight the NHS bodies with the worst problems.

Chairman of Scarborough NHS Trust, Richard Grunwell, said: "The Audit Commission, through its routine year-end audit, has raised concerns about governance arrangements at the trust.

"In light of this the trust board, in cooperation with Yorkshire and Humber Strategic Health Authority, is carrying out a detailed review of governance within the organisation.

"Although this is a significant issue for the trust, I would like to reassure patients, carers, the local public and all our staff that the review will focus on the systems, processes and reporting arrangements in place within the trust for managing and controlling the business of the organisation.

"The review is not focused on any issues of patient safety or the quality of care and there is no evidence of impropriety on the part of any officer."