The chairman of a hospital has resigned following a tribunal that revealed he had schemed to remove the trust’s chief executive. Ian Haythornthwaite stepped down from his position at the Countess of Chester hospital after the tribunal ruled that Dr. Susan Gilby had been wrongfully dismissed. The tribunal uncovered a conspiracy led by Mr. Haythornthwaite and others against Dr. Gilby, who had accused him of harassment and bullying.
Described as an “inaccurate historian” who lacked credibility, Mr. Haythornthwaite was found to have participated in an effort to disguise the covert actions taken to discredit Susan Gilby. Dr. Susan Gilby, a consultant in anaesthesia and intensive care, took on the role of chief executive at the trust in September 2018, shortly after the arrest of Lucy Letby. At a meeting in July 2022, Dr. Gilby recounted how Mr. Haythornthwaite aggressively criticized her, banging his hand on the table during the conversation, which she described as intimidation.
In response to the unfair dismissal ruling, Dr. Gilby expressed the challenges she faced over the past few years, defining them as torturous. She asserted that her career was baselessly taken away, resulting in significant financial losses. Dr. Gilby emphasized her commitment to upholding her integrity and placing her trust in the legal system. Meanwhile, Ian Haythornthwaite, a former BBC finance director and pro-vice chancellor at the University of Central Lancashire, chose to immediately step down as chair of the trust in the organization’s best interest for maintaining patient care as the top priority
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
