Hunt’s humiliation as NHS whistleblower tsar quits before her first day of work

Last Updated: March 11, 2016By

Dame Eileen Sills: She quit before she had even started.

Did anybody else notice this piece of humiliation for Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, or was it hidden behind Brexit and the Tories’ Sunday trading defeat?

Jeremy Hunt was accused of betraying NHS whistleblowers after the tsar appointed to protect them quit before she even started.

And key figures said the blundering Health Secretary put patient safety at risk by hiring nurse Dame Eileen Sills on a part-time basis instead of a full-time, ­independent chief as National Guardian.

She resigned after admitting she could not combine her £174,000-a-year job at one of Britain’s busiest hospital trusts with her new two-day role encouraging staff to lift the lid on appalling treatment in the NHS without fear of recrimination.

Dame Eileen, who is Director of Patient ­Experience and Infection Control at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in South London, was due to ­officially begin her new job on April 1.

Mr Hunt had praised her January appointment, declaring that he was “confident” she would “inspire” staff to speak out about treatment.

But in a ­statement, Dame Eileen, a nurse for more than 30 years, said “increasing challenges NHS providers face” meant she could not do “justice to both roles”.

Source: Jeremy Hunt humiliated as NHS whistleblower tsar quits before she started – Mirror Online

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7 Comments

  1. Mr.Angry March 11, 2016 at 1:05 pm - Reply

    This Lady probably has morals something Hunt would not understand.

    • David March 11, 2016 at 4:08 pm - Reply

      Hunt’s morals lie in the directions that Murdoch and his other paymasters wish him to take.
      His performance when Murdoch wanted to slice up a bit of the BBC gor him (Murdoch) was one of the most distasteful things of the last few years. Years which will leave a nasty
      in our mouths for years. His performances for Murdoch are matched by his performances as Minister of Health.

  2. Barry March 11, 2016 at 3:13 pm - Reply

    Well the story was actually released before the sunday trading debate took place, and brevet hasn’t had that much air time so no it wasn’t hidden. You need to read the Health service journal.

  3. Terry Davies March 11, 2016 at 3:46 pm - Reply

    she wants to avoid the crossfire which Hunt wants to create when he has recruited someone to blame and take the flak of his privatisation endeavours. Hunt is a hit man not a fighter. noticed this when he was suspiciously absent for comments when the junior doctors were on strike. hes a coward and everyone knows that. even the tories and evidently the person who resigned has become aware of his cowardly ploy.

  4. Brian March 11, 2016 at 9:16 pm - Reply

    Justice to both roles! not a good excuse, would you apply or accept a position only to decide you then don’t then have time for it. I would guess she really found Hunt’s posturing to be as false as his smile. Professional suicide comes to mind.

  5. Juliet Solomon March 11, 2016 at 9:30 pm - Reply

    She is clearly more principled than Rona Fairhurst, Cameron’s mate who is now being paid for being an HSBC director AND director of the BBC Trust – with no previous broadcasting experience. I have forgotten which salary pays what but the aggregate is over £600,000. CAn she be doing either job properly?

  6. Dez March 14, 2016 at 5:51 pm - Reply

    Sorting out complete protection and reinstatement of honest whistle blowers is more than a two day week job to fit in around another busy day job. Typical cheap skate thinking that two days a week would fix the problem and tick his pathetic boxes. Sounds like she is one of the titled few who actually has some integrity and common sense enough to know a poison chalice when she sees one being offerred. Whistle blowers should be reinstated and those that huddle together to dismiss the true honest professionals should be sacked immediately so that the system is rid of these overpaid parasites who help ruin the NHS for the benefit of privitisation..

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