Treliske boss resigns

The head of Cornwall’s top hospital has resigned after it went over £16 million over budget.

Brian Milstead, chief executive of the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust, which runs the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske, quit after 13 years in the post, following revelation that the Truro hospital was £15.7m in deficit and 300 jobs would be lost.

Mr. Milstead said: “As chief executive, I have to accept responsibility for the current financial situation and feel that the time is right for a new appointment to guide the trust forward to Foundation Trust status”

Critics have blasted the government for the deficit by saying that they need to know why the trust has ended up in this predicament.

Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George added “I think that ministers need to be able to demonstrate that the chief executive and other executives are responsible, any they are not being used as fall guys for this completely unacceptable situation”

The NHS regional headquarters, the South West Peninsula Strategic Health Authority said Mr. Milstead took the decision himself and was not asked to resign his post.

The hospital denied Mr. Milstead had been offered any financial incentive to leave the trust, telling reporters the resignation was “confidential”.