Trevor Purt

Trevor Purt is a Vice President with IBM Watson Health where he leads International healthcare consulting.

He was previously a senior NHS leader working within the wider NHS system in the North of England with a focus on the development of Accountable Care Organisations, population health and wider public sector integration.

He was Chief Executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, a fully integrated NHS organisation with an annual budget of £1.3b employing 16,000 staff.

He was Chief Executive of Rochdale Primary Care Trust from 2003 to 2006, and became Chief Executive of Heywood Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust when the PCTs were merged.[1] He supported the programme of Independent sector treatment centres, which a number of other Provider Chief Executives said was unnecessary, on the grounds that it was necessary to increase local choice.[2] Debbie Abrahams who was chair of the PCT at the time resigned while he was there over the use of private health companies in the NHS, which she said were 'destroying the NHS.' Mr Purt expressed disappointment but said "as an organisation, (the PCT is) fully committed to ensuring patients receive the best possible care when it is needed and where it is wanted".[3]

He was the first Chief Executive of Hywel Dda University Health Board, appointed in 2009. His move from England was reported to have boosted self-confidence of healthcare managers in Wales.[4] He was involved in controversial but subsequently successful service changes which resulted in the closure of the Special Care baby Unit at Withybush Hospital and removal of consultant led maternity services & paediatrics.[5] He was the subject of questionable criticism in 2013 because he did not sign a letter he sent regretting the death of a patient himself.[6]

He was awarded the title of Professor of Practice Health Management in 2012 by Trinity St David University “for his work in health management”.[7]

In late June 2014 he took over as CEO of the troubled Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board following highly critical Public Accounts Committee and Welsh Audit office reports, both of which highlighted major legacy issues from previous board and management failures.

Controversies
  • Changes to health services in Flint caused controversy with the closure of the town’s community hospital in 2013, prior to Trevor Purt's appointment, resulting in the loss of 18 hospital beds, leaving the town with none. Trevor Purt said the Board was responding to GPs’ calls for new modern facilities and is working with different professions to deliver "better care, with more co-ordination, better communication and greater consistency for the people of Flint".[8] A local referendum opposed to the programme held in 2014 was won by an overwhelmingly majority.[9]
  • Mr. Purt was also involved, following receipt of critical Royal College reviews, in controversial changes to maternity services at Glan Clwyd Hospital.[10] In August 2015, it was announced the plans would be subject to public consultation, these plans were however finally abandoned later that year despite both initial Board and a Welsh Assembly support.[11]
  • The board was placed in special measures and direct control in June 2015 by the labour led administration. According to the BBC,[12] it was stressed behind the scenes that the special measures were due to a number of cumulative problems and concerns spread over several years that contributed to a loss of public confidence in the board. These included issues involving capital spending that are the subject of a police investigation [13] and alleged (subsequently unsupported) issues relating to institutional abuse at the Tawel Fan ward at Glan Clwyd Hospital.[14] These problems contributed to an alleged loss of public confidence in the board and, significantly, occurred a month after the loss of a number of Labour seats in the May 2015 general election. Mr. Purt was initially suspended from his post, a move which his union, Managers in Partnership, said would "do nothing" to address "deep-seated" problems at the board.[15] as Mr Purt was not in post when the Capital spend nor the Tawel Fan issues were uncovered and the Mental health unit in question was shut in December 2013, seven months before he started.

His suspension was subsequently lifted but the health board's special measures and direct control was extended until after the maternity services consultation and the National Assembly elections of 2016.

References
  1. "The Rochdale Story". Pembrokeshire Health Concern. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  2. "North West acute chiefs doubt private scheme value". Health Service Journal. 13 December 2007. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  3. "Health boss quits over private company use". Manchester Evening News. 13 August 2007. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  4. "Wales NHS managers report boosted self confidence". Health Service Journal. 25 June 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  5. "Hywel Dda Health Board chief executive Trevor Purt to leave his post". Western Telegraph. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  6. "Hospital boss too busy to sign widow's letter". Daily Express. 4 March 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  7. "It will take a lot more than a new name to revamp board's image". Cambrian News Online. 8 January 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  8. "D-day looming for Flint's hospital beds referendum". News North Wales. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  9. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-29472176
  10. "Secretary of State for Wales backs Glan Clwyd maternity campaign". Daily Post. 18 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  11. http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/maternity-services-downgrade-plan-shelved-10533248
  12. "Tawel Fan: Betsi Cadwaladr health board in special measures". Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  13. "Betsi Cadwaladr: Police investigate troubled health board".
  14. "Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board put in special measures". Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  15. "Betsi health board: Boss suspension 'short-sighted', union says". BBC. 11 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
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