NHS Confederation chief executive quits to be a consultant
pharmafile | September 11, 2013 | News story | Medical Communications, Sales and Marketing | Mike Farrar, NHS, scandal
Mike Farrar is to stand down as chief executive of the NHS Confederation at the end of the month in order to start a consultancy business.
Farrar who will not receive any form of severance payment, is launching a new career in healthcare consultancy ahead of an inquiry that will look at his role in the Morecambe Bay baby deaths scandal.
His chief executive responsibilities will be undertaken by Dean Royles, chief executive of NHS Employers, while the trustees find Ferrar’s successor.
Farrar said: “It has been an enormous privilege to work in the NHS for more than two decades. I have had the opportunity to lead work at the NHS Confederation, in the north west and nationally in the Department of Health.”
Farrar was head of the North West Strategic Health Authority when a number of babies and mothers died at Morecambe Bay hospitals. An upcoming inquiry is examining the way the authority under Farrar responded to the deaths.
The investigation will look at Farrar’s role in the scandal who at the time had many calls to quit, as bereaved families criticised the decision for him to remain in such a high-profile NHS post.
Despite the inquiry and his future plans in the private sector, Farrar will continue to work in the coming months on a number of major projects for the NHS Confederation in order to see them come to fruition.
Michael O’Higgins, chair of the Confederation said: “Mike Farrar has reinforced the NHS Confederation as the voice of the NHS. His NHS career marks him out as one of the leading public servants of his generation.
“We are sorry to lose him as chief executive of the Confederation, but very pleased he will continue to oversee some of our most important work. We are confident that the Confederation will attract the highest quality candidates for Mike’s role.”
Farrar added: “I am looking forward to creating a range of new opportunities to improve healthcare provision in the future in the UK and overseas and delighted that I will be able to continue with some major NHS Confederation projects.”
Brett Wells
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