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Belfast Trust chairman sacked by health minister

Aileen Moynagh
BBC News NI health reporter
BBC Ciaran Mulgrew is looking to the right of the frame. He is wearing thin framed glasses and has a plain expression. He is bald and wearing a navy suit jacket, and a white shirt with no tie and the top button undone.BBC
The chair of the Belfast Trust, Ciaran Mulgrew, will leave the role on Friday

Health Minster Mike Nesbitt has sacked the chair of the Belfast Trust, Ciaran Mulgrew.

The Department of Health said Mr Nesbitt decided on a change of leadership at the trust, saying he believes a fresh start is required.

The minister and department said they would like to thank Mr Mulgrew for his contribution to the trust and the wider health and social care system.

Mr Mulgrew will leave the post on Friday and the department said the process for filling the chair's post is being initiated as a priority.

In a statement, Belfast Trust's interim chief executive Maureen Edwards said she would like to extend "my sincere thanks to Ciaran for his unwavering support, contribution and commitment during his time as trust chairman".

She said Mr Mulgrew had helped the trust through some challenging times since his appointment.

"In particular, he has shown courage and leadership over the last few months in bringing focus and committing to addressing issues around culture and behaviours in our organisation," she said.

"Ciaran always acknowledges the fantastic work of staff in Belfast Trust and is proud of their many achievements. He is leaving the organisation with our gratitude and best wishes for the future.

"I wish to reassure our staff and the public that we will continue to make tangible improvements across the organisation to benefit staff, patients and service users."

PA Media Mike Nesbitt has grey hair. he is wearing black rimmed glasses and looks sternly at the camera. He is wearing a dark suit, light blue shirt and silver and white patterned tie.PA Media
Mike Nesbitt said he believes a fresh start is required at the Belfast Trust

Diane Dodds, the Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) health spokesperson, said the departure of Mr Mulgrew is a "testament to the sheer scale of crisis within the Belfast Trust".

"There have been a series of scandals over recent months and this reflects that. However, it should be remembered that many of these issues predated the current chair's tenure," Dodds said.

She added: "There is a wider systemic problem within the Belfast Trust that will not be resolved by simply removing one individual.

"However, we will need to hear more detail about what exactly has prompted this decision at this time."

Analysis: BBC News NI health reporter Aileen Moynagh

Belfast Trust has been in the headlines for years - from building delays, overspends, and repairs to more recently the cultural issues in the Royal Victoria Hospital's cardiac surgery unit - issues which resulted in extra oversight measures being put in place at the Trust.

And while many of these pre-date Mr Mulgrew's appointment as chair of the Belfast Trust in April 2023, Thursday's announcement suggests the health minister didn't have confidence in the fallout of what's been happening there.

Now people may ask, why Ciaran Mulgrew?

Well, the chairs of each of the health trusts are ministerial appointments, whereas for example, the chief executives aren't.

So, Mr Mulgrew's position was one the health minister had control over.

Does it happen often?

No, it's extremely rare.

Only one other Trust chair has been removed from their post in Northern Ireland in the past and that was in the northern trust in 2012.

So, this sacking of the Belfast Trust chair perhaps answers some of the questions raised about how the health minister would be holding Belfast Trust to account.

Now, while the department said the process for filling the chair's post is a priority, so too is trust appointment of a permanent chief executive to create some stability at its leadership level.