Job hopes dashed for Guy's chief executive

THE highest-earning NHS executive has become the latest casualty of the Government's planned programme of London hospital closures and mergers, writes Judy Jones.

Peter Griffiths, the pounds 103,000-a- year chief executive of Guy's and Lewisham NHS Trust, had been tipped to win the top job in the new management structure to emerge from the merger with St Thomas's hospital.

Instead, Tim Matthews, the chief executive of St Thomas's, has been appointed to run the joint Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Trust when it comes into existence on 1 April. The trust board is required to submit plans to Virginia Bottomley, Secretary of State for Health, by September for merging the hospital on one site.

Mr Griffiths, a former deputy chief executive of the NHS management executive, and Mr Matthews were understood to be the only shortlisted candidates.

Mr Griffiths issued a statement congratulating Mr Matthews but was unavailable for further comment. His colleagues at Guy's were said to be 'in a state of shock'. One senior doctor said: 'The managers all expected 'their man' to get the job. He has been such a prominent figure in the establishment of trusts that it was assumed he would be favoured.'

Lord Hayhoe, the former Conservative health minister and now chairman-designate of the 'shadow' joint trust board, said Mr Matthews' management skills would help ensure the merged hospital would be London's best. Mr Matthews, 41, will become responsible for running the largest trust in London with an annual income of pounds 240m.