Democratic accountability

In Hartlepool, the chief executive of the NHS trust, Joan Rogers, has requested early retirement.

The trust was listed as one of the top 40 in the country in 2002. Unfortunately it turned out that the waiting lists had been underestimated by 300. Mrs Rogers has been on sick leave ever since this discovery.

Hospital chiefs moved to quash rumours there was any connection between the waiting list problem and Mrs Roger's absence. The trust's acting chief executive Aidan Mullan spoke out in December saying there had been a "misunderstanding over numbers" on the waiting list, but said no-one was to blame.

This is what is called democratic accountability.

(Via Hartlepool Mail)