HC Deb 16 April 1999 vol 329 cc375-6W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date the new chair of the Guy's and St. Thomas's NHS Trust was (i) appointed and (ii) told of her appointment; on what date the Trust was told of her appointment; on what date information was given by the NHS of the name of the person appointed; how many and which hon. Members discussed the appointment with Ministers during March, indicating the dates of the discussions; and for what reason the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey was not invited to discuss the appointment with Ministers. [80566]

Mr. Denham

Mrs. Patricia Moberly has been appointed as chair of the Guy's and St. Thomas's Hospital National Health Service Trust for the period from 1 April 1999 until 31 October 2002. Ministers reached their decision on 18 March and Mrs. Moberly was told of the appointment by the regional chairman on 19 March. The trust chief executive was told shortly afterwards. The decision was formally announced in a press release issued by the London Regional Office of the NHS Executive on 26 March and in an internal bulletin at the trust on the same day. On 24 February the regional chairman invited all local hon. Members to give their views by 7 March on the candidates for the chairmanship. No written replies were received by the deadline but a number of hon. Members made informal representations directly to Ministers. The hon. Member, for Southwark, North and Bermondsey sent a letter giving his views on 17 March. These were fully considered before the appointment decision was made.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health who has been appointed to chair the Guy's and St. Thomas's NHS Trust from 1 April; how many shortlisted nominees were proposed by the regional office; how many others were Labour party members; and how many had served on NHS trust boards before 1 April as (i) chairmen and (ii) deputy chairmen. [80564]

Mr. Denham

Mrs. Patricia Moberly has been appointed to serve as chair of the Guy's and St. Thomas's Hospitals National Health Service Trust for the period from 1 April 1999 until 31 October 2002. Two other candidates for the chairmanship were put forward by the regional chairman for consideration by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. All three candidates had served as non-executive board members, Mrs. Moberly on the board of the Guy's and St. Thomas's Hospitals NHS Trust. One other candidate had served as a chair of another NHS Trust, and the remaining one as a vice-chairman of the Guy's and St. Thomas's Hospitals NHS Trust. Candidates for such posts are not required to declare party membership.