Dr Richard Lane has retired

THE Hospital’s medical director has retired leaving a senior management vacancy despite a recent damning report recommending that a replacement was found before his departure.

Dr Richard Lane retired at the end of April. Independent specialist consultants Verita, who were drafted in for an inquiry last year following the tragic death of staff nurse Elizabeth Rourke in 2006, recommended that a new director should be appointed in advance of Dr Lane’s retirement to ‘ensure a smooth transition’.

Their report had pointed to management failings and poor practice at the Hospital and made 29 recommendations, including eight urgent ones.

Health Minister Anne Pryke confirmed that Dr Lane had retired as he had reached 65 and that no replacement had been found. When asked whether the recruitment process had started, she said: ‘No, that is going to be the job for the new chief executive when she comes on 1 June.

‘Different consultants within the Hospital are doing the role, but it is important that the new chief executive makes the choice.’