SO Darent Valley Hospital is looking for another new chief executive after failing to live up to Government expectations.

Last October the hospital was plunged into crisis and branded the worst in the country. It was given three months to pull up its socks

At the time when it needed all hands to the pump, its chief executive Anne-Marie Dean much criticised by this paper went off sick for five weeks, before throwing in the towel.

With time rapidly running out, the hospital badly needed someone who could step in and bring about tangible improvements before the Government's deadline. The trust board chose Sue Jennings, a highly regarded NHS chief executive already running a successful hospital in Essex.

But when Darent Valley needed someone who could give 110 per cent to its rescue plan, unbelievably, it chose Mrs Jennings who could only give 50 per cent of her undoubted talents to North Kent's long-awaited PFI hospital. On the day when Darent Valley's hopes of gaining Government approval, were shattered where was Mrs Jennings? She was in Basildon, running her other hospital. She now says she is prepared to take a permanent job running Darent Valley part-time.

For the sake of the hard-working, dedicated staff and long-suffering local people, Darent Valley's trust board should be saying "thanks, but no thanks". Darent Valley deserves someone who can give 100 per cent of their time and energies to rescue this struggling hospital. - ANDREW PARKES

February 18, 2002 10:30