"Failed top brass in the NHS are on a jobs merry-go-round at taxpayers' expense"

Barry Monk brings our attention to the happy circumstance that Ruth Harrison landed a £52,000 short-term contract which started in December 2007 to head a review into maternity and children's services at Epsom and St Helier Hospital in Surrey - a review which it is feared will lead to ward closures.

Ruth Harrison was the £130,000 p.a. Chief Executive of Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Bucks, who was paid off in 2006 with a £140,000 golden goodbye - she left the trust to do an MSc at London University.

This was the day before a damning report was published, citing serious faults in her leadership.

Under her tenure 33 patients died and 334 became seriously ill with the highly infectious stomach bug Clostridium difficile.

The Healthcare Commission, which carried out the investigation into the outbreak between October 2003 and June 2005, said the trust "compromised the safety of patients by failing to make the right decisions" and that it "rejected the proper advice of their own experts". Last Updated: Thursday, 15 November 2007, 10:24 GMT

The Health and Safety Executive ruled there was not enough admissible evidence to prosecute Stoke Mandeville Hospital bosses in Buckinghamshire.

Sandra Caldwell, HSE director of field operations said they launched the investigation into Stoke Mandeville because there was the possibility that serious criminal offences had been committed.

She added: "On the basis of the evidence available, HSE did not find sufficient admissible evidence to be able to bring criminal proceedings against the Trust, alleging a link between management failures and particular deaths."

Its report said: "The Healthcare Commission considers there were significant failings on the part of the leadership at the trust and has recommended that the leadership change."

Apparently there is some disquiet among patient rights campaigners at Epsom and St Helier Hospital . Geoff Martin, from campaign group Health Emergency, called on the trust to halt plans to bring in Ms Harrison, adding that the move was "a disgrace".

He said: "Failed top brass in the NHS are on a jobs merry-go-round at taxpayers' expense, where they can jump from one highly-paid post to the next, regardless of the wreckage they have left behind."

This has lead to the announcement in the Health Service Journal today to her "stepping down" from the position.

"She made the decision after all the press interest," said an Epsom and St Helier spokesman. "She was concerned her involvement would be a distraction."

Ms Harrison will be replaced by fellow Durrow employee Nick Relph, former chief executive of Thames Valley strategic health authority.

Andy Black has a curious self serving Press Release at the Durrow website....who have a very impressive client list of hospitals no doubt they obtained a large take up on their New Year study tour in Miami this year.