THE new chair of a board set up to oversee improvements in the Health Department has left his role after a month due to “differences in working styles” with the Health Minister.
Tom Hayhoe was appointed to chair the Health and Community Advisory Board at the end of February.
But on Wednesday it was announced he had stepped down with immediate effect following mutual agreement with Health Minister Tom Binet.
In a statement, Deputy Binet said: “Tom Hayhoe and I have announced that he will not be continuing as chair of the HCS Advisory Board. We have mutually agreed this course of action given acknowledged differences in working styles. Tom Hayhoe will vacate the post with immediate effect and one of the other non-executive directors will chair the board meetings on an interim basis.”
Mr Hayhoe chaired his first board meeting last week, when he shared plans for the board’s future – including regularly meeting community groups and charities and introducing “patient stories” to the start of every meeting.
He replaced Professor Hugo Mascie-Taylor, who served as interim chair.
The role proved controversial after Professor Mascie-Taylor had his contact extended, with the cost of this cited as a factor in the resignation of Constable Andy Jehan from the previous government in November.
Mr Hayhoe has more than 35 years’ experience in health leadership, including being chairman of West London NHS Trust and West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust.
Deputy Binet described Mr Hayhoe as having “an exceptional understanding of health service delivery”, in a statement following his appointment.
