By Anna Whittaker, Local Democracy Reporter
The new Chief Executive of Nottingham University Hospitals Trust says some staff have already written to him saying change is still needed – but insists he feels he can make a difference despite the job feeling “out of his comfort zone”.
Anthony May has arrived at the trust from Nottinghamshire County Council, where he spent seven years as Chief Executive.
He has replaced Rupert Egginton, who had been filling the role on an interim basis.
The trust had not had a permanent Chief Executive since the departure of Tracy Taylor, following ill health in 2021.
Mr May said: “The county council is a fantastic organisation and I was very proud to have led it.
“I’m 58 years old and I don’t want to retire, I had been there for 18 years.
“Sometimes organisations benefit from a fresh perspective. I was looking for something that represented a new challenge and I don’t want to work anywhere outside of Nottinghamshire, this is home and I care a lot about it.
“Even though it felt out of my comfort zone I felt I could make a difference.
“I can see there is such a strong sense of vocation here and a determination to do better.
“People have written to me and said it’s still not great to work here. We are planning an approach of zero tolerance, it isn’t acceptable to be bullied or harassed at work for any reason.
“We want to get right on top of that.”
In an open letter published on his first day at the trust, September 1, Mr May apologised on behalf of the trust for its failings in maternity care and promised a focus on improving these services, which are currently rated ‘inadequate’ by the healthcare watchdog.
Dozens of babies have died or been injured in previous incidents and experienced midwife Donna Ockenden started a widescale review into the trust’s maternity services earlier this month.
Mr May said 17 new midwives have been recruited and will start in their roles between September and November, which he said demonstrated “that we are starting to climb that mountain”.
Mr May estimates he has met thousands of people in his first four weeks at the trust, which is responsible for both the Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital in Nottingham.
Mr May also revealed his salary is £249,000 – more than £50,000 a year more than his pay was at the county authority, where he was the highest earner across all Nottinghamshire councils.
Speaking of maternity services, Mr May said he has seen “really hard working people doing their best” but added that there are “challenges in the organisation no better demonstrated than in maternity”.
He added that he has written to some families who have been impacted by poor maternity care and offered to meet with them.
He added: “We’ve done a lot with parents to reassure them no matter our challenges we are doing our best to give them the best care on a daily basis.
“I have written to the parents and I have offered to meet with them. Most importantly I have said sorry, and I mean it, I am personally sorry.
“Nobody should suffer in the way that they have. My door is open, some parents have come back to me already. But I have also said if they don’t want to talk to me, I am encouraging them to engage with Donan Ockenden.
“All of us have got to see that review as a good thing and a way to make things better.”
