Health trust chief steps down

The chief executive of an East Anglian health authority with a history of trouble is to leave his role. Michael Stonard is to step down from his position at NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney to develop a new career, it was announced yesterday.

The chief executive of an East Anglian health authority with a history of trouble is to leave his role.

Michael Stonard is to step down from his position at NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney to develop a new career, it was announced yesterday. The 50-year-old said he was proud of his team's achievements and was looking forward to more flexible working arrangements.

The health trust has come under fire in recent months. In March it was reported that NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney had been ranked second worst of 148 in the country according to a performance league table and just a month prior to this the trust was told it needed a “radical transformation”.

At the time Mr Stonard insisted that the trust had already instituted a robust review of management arrangements to address areas of weakness and said he was confident of an improvement in performance this year.

The trust has also come under fire for spending large amounts of money on outside consultants.

David Edwards, chairman of NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney, yesterday thanked Mr Stonard and wished him well for the future.

The trust said that work would begin immediately to appoint a successor to Mr Stonard.