Trust chiefs lead NHS criticism of ‘disgraceful’ Cummings

Three trust chief executives have openly attacked the Prime Minister’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings for allegedly flouting the lockdown rules.

Kathryn Thomson, chief executive of Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust, today criticised Mr Cummings on the Twitter social media site.

She wrote: “NHS staff and other key workers going above and beyond to protect our society. In our hospital we have had to make difficult decisions about dads not attending scan appointments. Limiting parental access to the Neonatal Unit and #cummings flouts the rules . Disgraceful!!”

On Saturday, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS FT chief executive Mel Pickup also posted on Twitter.

Under a picture of the Prime Minister defending Mr Cummings during the government daily briefing, Ms Pickup wrote: “To deter me ever from getting too big for my boots my mum always taught me that no-one is indispensable. Turns out some are”

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust chief executive Dr Adrian Bull posted: ”In crisis, to avoid confusion & ensure decisive action, it is right to support & follow leaders accepting they will make mistakes along the way. But they must lead by example as well as dictat.The Cummings case seriously undermines the leadership of this crisis. He should resign.”

The three chief executives also received support from other trusts executive and non-executive directors, and other senior figures voiced their concerns.

Bolton NHS FT chair Professor Donna Hall, replied to Ms Pickup, saying “So right Mel unbelievable hubris”, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust chief information officer Ian McKenzie, replied “well said”.

Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care Trust executive director of Estates and Facilities Paul Featherstone. Replying to Ms Thomson he wrote: “Agreed. Disgraceful behaviour from #cummings who should resign if the Prime Minister hasn’t got the courage to do the right thing.”

On Saturday health secretary Matt Hancock wrote: “I know how ill coronavirus makes you. It was entirely right for Dom Cummings to find childcare for his toddler, when both he and his wife were getting ill.”