THE boss of Solihull Hospital is to step down.Dr Mark Goldman, chief executive of the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust will retire in August but has said he would extend this if needed.
Bosses said he made this clear ‘over a year ago’ as he was ‘in his 59th year’.
A statement said: “This also coincides with a general election and, whoever wins, a new administration.”
The trust has hit headlines recently over its shock decision to remove doctor-led births from Solihull Hospital from April.
It said the changes are temporary and needed to ensure newborns’ safety.
The authority – which also runs Heartlands and Good Hope hospitals – has also been attacked by its regulator over A&E waits.
Trust chairman Clive Wilkinson today said: “Mark has been an outstanding chief executive with a national reputation.”
He said: “The forthcoming general election, new priorities for the NHS and a new chair will require the trust to continue to look to the long term future and develop its priorities and services based on a new agenda.”
Dr Goldman, who has worked for the trust for 26 years and the NHS for 34, was ‘highly regarded’ by staff he said.
Mr Wilkinson said: “He will be a big loss to the trust and a hard act to follow.”
The quality of the trust’s services has been downgraded in recent years by the national watchdog, The Care Quality Commission.
This was ‘excellent’ in 2006/07, ‘good’ in 2007/08 and ‘fair’ in 2008/09, the last full operating year.
