NSFT: Trust appoints new chief after qualifications row

A troubled mental health trust has appointed a new chief executive after the previous appointee withdrew from taking up the post.

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) deputy chief executive Stuart Richardson moves to the more senior role.

He has a 28-year career in the sector, the trust said.

The trust's chairwoman said it would now "move to the next stage of our improvement journey".

In 2015, NSFT became the first NHS mental health trust to be placed in special measures, and was rated "inadequate" on three occasions by the Care Quality Commission health watchdog.

NSFT is currently rated as "requires improvement".

The new chief executive will oversee an annual budget of approximately £260m.

Mason Fitzgerald had originally been due to take on the lead role in April, but he withdrew from taking up the post in March.

Annual reports submitted to Parliament stated Mr Fitzgerald held a Master of Laws (LLM) from the University of Georgia in the US - though the university said he did not graduate.

At the time of the withdrawal Marie Gabriel, chairwoman of NSFT, said Mr Fitzgerald "was clear with the trust that he did not have a masters of law qualification from the University of Georgia" and that he did have "all relevant qualifications" for the job.

Speaking about Mr Richardson's promotion, she said he had nearly three decades experience working in mental health and learning disabilities services.

"I am convinced, after a robust recruitment process, that Stuart's leadership will enable us to move to the next stage of our improvement journey and enable us to sustain our progress," she said.

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