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King's Lynn: Queen Elizabeth Hospital boss steps down

Qays Najm/BBC Caroline Shaw, chief executive at The Queen Elizabeth at King's LynnQays Najm/BBC
Caroline Shaw, chief executive at the Queen Elizabeth, said the hospital's improvement was achieved in the face of adversity

The boss of a hospital that has a roof supported by 1,500 props is stepping down.

Caroline Shaw, chief executive of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King's Lynn, is leaving to join a global health firm.

Ms Shaw helped take the QEH out of special measures after she joined in 2019.

The hospital is currently rated as "requiring improvement" by Care Quality Commission (CQC) health inspectors.

Its most recent report in February gave the hospital a rating of "good" for leadership.

It was also rated "good" for being caring and effective but required improvement over safety, being responsive and the use of resources.

Reflecting on her time at the hospital, Ms Shaw said: "I can honestly say that my time at QEH has been the most challenging, yet by far the most rewarding of my career to date.

"I could not be prouder of what team QEH has achieved and how far we have come over the last few years."

Shaun Whitmore/BBC Wooden props supporting a roofShaun Whitmore/BBC
The roof of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn is having to be supported by wooden and steel props

Last year, hospital board papers said the situation with the building's structure posed a "direct risk to the life and safety of patients".

Ms Shaw recently reassured patients the roof was safe and said a team was checking it on a daily basis.

In 2020, the government announced 40 hospitals would be built by 2030 as part of a package worth £3.7bn, with a further eight schemes invited to bid for future funding.

The trust is waiting to hear if it will be one of those eight.

The QEH opened in 1980 and was one of seven hospitals built using a material called reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

This material has serious weaknesses and is deteriorating, with uncertainty over its structural integrity leading to more than £100m being spent this financial year on safety measures across the affected sites.

Alice Webster, QEH's chief nurse, will be the hospital's acting chief executive officer from 1 October after Ms Shaw leaves at the end of September.

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