Trust ‘exited’ 170 staff in three years due to poor behaviour

An ambulance chief has said his trust “exited” more than 170 staff due to culture and behavioural problems in the last three years.

East of England Ambulance Trust chief executive officer Tom Abell gave the figure while speaking publicly about his team’s efforts to get a grip on the organisation’s long-standing cultural problems.

Mr Abell, who is leaving the trust next month to lead Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board, told a session at the NHS Confed Expo conference that the trust’s leadership knew suspending a large number of staff would create challenges in providing services.

But he said it was the only way to ensure the right cultural standards were met and he did not want to “bottle” the decision to tackle this issue.

Mr Abell, who became CEO in 2021, said: “The decision we had to make was do we suspend [the staff] and recognise the fact that’s potentially going to have a significant impact in terms of our ability to deliver services, or do we bottle it?

“And [so] we suspended and dismissed [the staff in question]. Staff told me after that, ‘we never thought the organisation would ever do that’.

“We’ve tried to be consistent. We’ve exited, probably over 170 people from the trust, since I started, for issues around culture and behaviour. It’s not just about being fluffy and engaging, it’s around actually taking practical symbolic action.”

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Source: HSJ, 17 June 2024