Newcastle NHS chief on extended leave pending probe into ‘very serious issues’

The NHS’s longest serving chief executive has been placed on extended leave after an investigation was launched into “a number of very serious issues”.

Sir Leonard Fenwick, who has run the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for 40 years, was forced out in January after the inquiry began.

But the Trust denied reports that the 69-year-old had been placed on leave after he uncovered a senior consultants sex ring that was taking place in hospital grounds.

A statement said the investigation had been triggered after concerns were raised by a number of sources and was being carried out by an independent specialist.

It said: “In recent weeks there has been intense media scrutiny and unfounded speculation about the reasons for Sir Leonard Fenwick (pictured) being on extended leave from his duties as chief executive of Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

“The trust has a duty to protect the confidentiality of its staff. However, we now believe that in the public interest we no longer have any other option but to confirm that Sir Leonard has been placed on a period of extended leave to allow an independent investigation to be carried out into a number of very serious issues raised by different sources that were brought to the attention of the trust.”

But referring to recent allegations that a group of consultants had been having liaisons with female members of staff, the trust said: “The trust strongly refutes any suggestion that this current situation is in any way connected to the handling of any internal disciplinary matter that has featured heavily in a number of recent newspaper articles.

“Sir Leonard’s leave is in line with the trust’s HR policies and is no indication that the matters raised against him will be correct. Placing him on a period of extended leave is an entirely neutral act.”

According to the Telegraph, hundreds of emails from the consultants were sent to female members of staff, including indecent messages.

Sir Leonard has worked in the NHS since joining as a management trainee at the age of 18.

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