Suspended chiefs 'refused cuts'

Chief executive Alison Guy was suspended in July

Two senior managers of an NHS Trust were suspended for putting services and staff before financial considerations, a union has claimed.

The chief executive of Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust, Alison Guy, and finance director Bernard Flynn were suspended in July.

Amicus said a report appeared to show they had favoured "operational over governance challenges".

The union said that amounted to refusing to implement cuts.

The report, subsequently leaked, was put together by Keith Wright, a former regional finance director for the NHS Executive.

Hospital 'guardians'

It said the trust had an estimated deficit of between £5.4m and £13.9m coupled with an historical debt of £11.8 million.

Amicus said that since the suspension, 99 members of acute hospital staff had been made redundant and two wards were being closed at Bridlington Hospital.

Regional officer for Amicus, Terry Cunliffe, said: "I am very concerned by this leaked report and fear that the trust leadership may in fact have been attempting to defend staff and services from cuts.

"The substantial cuts and closures that have happened since their leaving would indicate that these people may have been the guardians of Bridlington Hospital and I would like them to have the opportunity to give their version of events."

Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust was unavailable for comment on Monday.