Thurrock MP Andrew Mackinlay has made his views very plain on the matter of Basildon and Thurrock hospital.
In the House of Commons yesterday, he asked the Sec of State: “It is incredible, untenable and unacceptable that the chief executive has not decided to step aside?”
Here is his question in the house in full.
My right hon. Friend Angela E. Smith wanted to be here but she is in Committee. However, although I have been working closely with her over the weekend, my question is my own.
The question that I want to ask is this. Monitor tells us that there has been a “significant breach” in the terms of the authorisation of the foundation trust at Basildon and Thurrock, citing
“a poor care environment in A&E…inadequate arrangements to treat children…breaches of infection control,”
high morbidity and mortality rates, and general problems with health care standards and governance. Does the Secretary of State share my view that it is incredible, untenable and unacceptable that the chief executive has not decided to step aside? I include in that some other executive directors, particularly the one charged with ensuring oversight of and compliance with the cleaning contract. There is a question of public confidence in Basildon and Thurrock. Basically, Monitor and the Secretary of State need to address it with some urgency. It is unsustainable that the people who have been found by Monitor, in the words that I have quoted, to be in such significant breach should still be in post this afternoon. I understand that there is a problem-
