THE chairman of the trust which runs Scarborough Hospital has been ousted from his job by a ruling NHS organisation. Richard Grunwell, who has been chief non-executive officer at the Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Healthcare Trust since 2002, has been asked to stand down as chairman on December 31 by the Appointments Commission Board.

It is believed he has been under pressure to step aside since chief executive Alison Guy and finance director Bernard Flynn were suspended from duty on July 11.

An announcement about the fate of the two executives could also be made next week.

The health trust board meeting, which is led by Mr Grunwell, will decide at a meeting expected to be held behind closed doors on Tuesday whether to release a report to the public which has followed the inquiry into the events leading up to Mrs Guy's and Mr Flynn's suspension from duty.

A letter from interim chief executive Iain McInnes about Mr Grunwell's departure was distributed to staff at Scarborough and Bridlington hospitals yesterday. It says: "At The Public Trust Board scheduled for December 19 2006 Hospital boss is ousted there will be an announcement that the Appointments Commission Board has made its decision to terminate Richard Grunwell's appointment as chairman of the Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Healthcare Trust on December 31 2006.

"The same board meeting, probably in private session, will also make a decision on when it releases the Governance Review Report into the public domain. This may include an announcement on the position of Alison Guy, the substantive chief executive, and Bernard Flynn, the substantive director of finance," said Mr McInnes. Mick Pilling (writes) These suspended executives have been on FULL-PAY for many, many months?  Tax-payers money!  This suspension should have been sorted out, a long time ago; what's the problem, we ask!

Mick Pilling (writes) Who else is for the CHOP?  As the Interim Chief Executive Iain McInnes brings down the Axe! We have all ready seen many jobs go; services disruped; staff at an all time LOW!  Lets see if 2007 will bring our hospitals back into line with what the patient wants; fairness in the NHS.