News RSS Feed Send your news, pictures & videos


Read local news in your area:


Your views on Colchester Hospital Trust boss sacking

12:05pm Friday 27th November 2009 in


The chairman of the health trust in charge of Colchester's two NHS hospitals has been sacked.

Regulator Monitor told Richard Bourne he had to go for failing to drive up standards and address high death rates.

The body which appointed Bourne - the trust's members' council - knew about Monitor's concerns when it recently voted to reappoint him as chairman.

But Monitor has now overruled the council and told the former Labour politician to go.

What are your experiences of Colchester's hospitals? What do you think about Mr Bourne's sacking?

Call our newsdesk on 01206 508288.

Related links


Comments(17)

Voter99 says...
3:50pm Fri 27 Nov 09

I'm surprised that The Gazette (aka Colchester Pravda) has allowed us poor people to comment on this story in case we say something that might upset the high and mighties who 'run' Colchester.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Say It As It Is OK? says...
4:45pm Fri 27 Nov 09

Think Dr (three jobs) Smug should be next for the chop! Regulars will know who I'm talking about cos naming names would not be appropriate!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Boris says...
12:33am Sat 28 Nov 09

Dr 3-jobs Smug has got himself a new job (in Cambridge I think) so he is moving on just in time.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Sdapeze says...
11:31am Sat 28 Nov 09

Well that has certainly screwed up Mr Bourne's future job prospects!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

totallyfootball says...
10:37am Sun 29 Nov 09

Voter99 wrote:
I'm surprised that The Gazette (aka Colchester Pravda) has allowed us poor people to comment on this story in case we say something that might upset the high and mighties who 'run' Colchester.
It has been going on for a long time, my father was taken ill quite a few years ago and the story is far too long to quote blow for blow you would be grey for many reasons by the time I had finished. I reported it to the customer care manager, thing was there was a word missing in his name badge. It was the word don't.

He met me and I will never forget his words, " I could take you around this hospital and show you things that would impress you". Must have been the fantastic oil paintings, Mechano statues or that lump of stone outside the maternity wing maybe? I retorted that I could show him things that would depress him, the dirty wards and stairways.

The old hospital at Black Notley was cleaner than that place! The cleaning company at the time was a road maintenance firm, obviously used to dust and grime. Lets spend the health money on what it was meant for, not massive pay packets and statues!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Fed Up says...
10:35pm Sun 29 Nov 09

All they’ve b got to do now is leaver out Murphy’s Mafia and we will on the way to a decent hospital.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

old-timer says...
1:03am Mon 30 Nov 09

They got their scapegoat,but the meccanno statues are really to blame! They are a health-hazard;on a dark night,or for the poor-sighted.My dad passed away at the Gen.,few years ago.It weren't Bourne's fault,or anyone else's;who works there.How can anyone 'address' a high death-rate anywhere? Spending vast sums on hospitals,is no guarantee to longevity.When are people going to wake-up to reality? I just don't like Carrillion taking the p out of us;with parking-charges.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Vinny1 says...
12:31pm Mon 30 Nov 09

Good riddance. Only problem is those who have suffered at the hands of the incompetent idiots that have been making life hell in this hospital wont be able to gain any satisfaction from this as some of them have passed away. I have recently had the misfortune to visit my mother in this establishment over the past few weeks and the treatment the elderly patients were receiving at the hands of so called nurses was appalling. I think we should bring back the Matron. In the days when we had matrons in hospitals they were clean, well run and the nurses treated the patients with respect and compassion. Luckily my mother is home again now and I hope she never has to suffer the humilitation and disrespect that was shown to her in Colchester General again.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

BillBill says...
2:56pm Mon 30 Nov 09

Say It As It Is OK? wrote:
Think Dr (three jobs) Smug should be next for the chop! Regulars will know who I'm talking about cos naming names would not be appropriate!
Dr Smug works for a completly different organisation from Colchester NHS Hospitals Trust. So, Say It As It Is ok?, you are actually "saying it as it isn't..."

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Say It As It Is OK? says...
3:52pm Mon 30 Nov 09

BillBill wrote:
Say It As It Is OK? wrote:
Think Dr (three jobs) Smug should be next for the chop! Regulars will know who I'm talking about cos naming names would not be appropriate!
Dr Smug works for a completly different organisation from Colchester NHS Hospitals Trust. So, Say It As It Is ok?, you are actually "saying it as it isn't..."
Where did I say Dr Smug worked for the same organisation? Although the comparison between the two are self evident.

Just next for the chop I said although another has pointed out Dr Smug might have gone (jumped) anyway to Cambridge?

So maybe it's right! or maybe it isn't right! Who cares anyway...!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Colchester'sadump says...
5:25pm Mon 30 Nov 09

About time something was done about the dreadful standards at Colchester General and the constant covering up of shoddy practices. I must first state that I myself have been lucky and had good treatment on several occasions. However, it appears I am are in the minority.

Here's a sampler of others experiences.

Father had bodged hernia that had to be sorted out by Ipswich (complained but just fobbed off).
Mother in law has had a bodged operation that had been redone (complaned and was fobbed off).
Sister in law had bodged surgey - had to be sent to Ipswich to have sorted.
Friend almost died due to bodged procedures, currently investigating legal action.
Brother in law had bodged operation that had to be redone (complained but was fobbed off).
Friend had bodge traetment to repair broken arm, ended paying for private treatment to sort it.

....and so on.

Problem is that the Tories and nasty Thatcher (then later gutless Blair) decided we would get better service if 'internal markets' and targets were introduced into the NHS. As people are now finding out (in the banking sector) targets are usually met by cheating and lying and ignoring the 'customer' or to use the correct term... patients!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

britannia says...
7:08pm Mon 30 Nov 09

here in Spain, I had a hernia op a year ago, out the next day, no complications ! wife had a hip fracture repaired in July, out after four days, no complications !! need I say more !

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Pause says...
10:47pm Mon 30 Nov 09

Vinny1 wrote:
Good riddance. Only problem is those who have suffered at the hands of the incompetent idiots that have been making life hell in this hospital wont be able to gain any satisfaction from this as some of them have passed away. I have recently had the misfortune to visit my mother in this establishment over the past few weeks and the treatment the elderly patients were receiving at the hands of so called nurses was appalling. I think we should bring back the Matron. In the days when we had matrons in hospitals they were clean, well run and the nurses treated the patients with respect and compassion. Luckily my mother is home again now and I hope she never has to suffer the humilitation and disrespect that was shown to her in Colchester General again.
"I think we should bring back the Matron" says Vinny1

Have a look at the many Matrons at the hospital:
http://www.colcheste
rhospital.nhs.uk/mat
ron_structure.shtml


Report this post »    Register/Log In »

kontiki says...
9:44am Tue 1 Dec 09

A member of my family was an in-patient at Colchester General for 5 weeks earlier this year. The overall experience can only be described as woefully short of average.
Apart from one or two nurses, nobody else, including the ward consultant, showed any genuine interest in providing proper treatment and care. It was also clearly evident both in the ward and public areas that the cleaners do not do their job properly.
Each daily visit proved to be difficult not knowing what problems were occuring in the ward and coupled with distubances at night made conditions for the well being of patients extremely challenging and did not aid their recovery. Ironically the only thing up to standard was the food!
I feel sure that the majority of people in Colchester echo my view that the performance of this hospital has been deteriorating for some time and serious on-going action is required to rectify the situation.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

corporate says...
10:20am Tue 1 Dec 09

I owe my life to the medical staff and hospital, and my wife has received medical advice and medical attention that was prompt, correct and reassuring. I couldn't fault anything while I was an inpatient, but of course one could niggle ad infinitum. Bottom line: it's not perfect, but hey, people are quick to apportion blame, and not to praise; that's the British way, unfortunately.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

pingu says...
10:26am Tue 1 Dec 09

i Lost both my nan and grandad in that circus. What i dnt get is how come when you go in there your ontablets what your doc gave you .YOU GO IN THE CIRCUS CALLED THE GENERAL HOSPITAL AND THEY TAKE YOU OFF THEM THEN TWO LATER YOU LOSE A LOVED ONE.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

corporate says...
4:27pm Tue 1 Dec 09

Just returned from ECH. Only niggle was the amount of waiting around, but - once again - reassurance and further prompt treatments recommended and arranged. Cannot fault, all questions answered, 100% happy with the service and staff. Of course, it was cold outside, and there was no car parking facility, and people couldn't finish the crossword. These are serious offences, and the PM will be advised.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

More News stories


Most popular







Local Information

Enter your postcode, town or place name

House prices »   Schools »   Crime »   Hospitals »

Local Businesses