FOLLOWING the Healthcare Commission ratings for NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney, Bernard Williamson, Chair of the PCT since its establishment on October 1, 2006, has tendered his resignation with effect from today.

FOLLOWING the Healthcare Commission ratings for NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney, Bernard Williamson, Chair of the PCT since its establishment on October 1, 2006, has tendered his resignation with effect from today.

The Healthcare commission rated the organisation, previously known as the Great Yarmouth and Waveney Primary Care Trust, as “weak” placing it among the worst in the country although plans are being made for it to bounce back.

Mike Stonard, Chief Executive of the PCT, said: “I am sure I speak on behalf of all the staff and non-executive members of the Board when I say that I have been really sorry to learn about Bernard's decision.

“Always a strong advocate for health improvement, he has made an enormous contribution to the development of healthcare locally since 1998, particularly following his appointment to the Chair of Great Yarmouth Primary Care Trust on 1 April 2001 - and we wish him well for the future.

“The PCT is committed to learning the lessons arising from the Annual Health Check results. Staff have already addressed many of the actions necessary to ensure compliance next year, and a feature of performance management that has now been instituted is early and increased intervention where measures are not going according to plan.

“Keith Crews, the PCT's Vice-Chair, has been appointed Chair with immediate effect on an interim basis by the NHS Appointments Commission and will carry out the full responsibilities of the role. The process for making a permanent appointment has been initiated by NHS East of England and the position will be advertised in November.”

Mr Williamson said: “I feel that a change at this time will allow NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney the opportunity to move forward to address the issues raised by the Healthcare Commission. This will also allow me time to follow a number of activities in my personal life that have been subsumed by the fast pace and demanding changes in the NHS.”

Bernard Williamson was the vice-chair of the Joint Consultative Committee for Norfolk Health Authority during the late 1990s. He was involved in Great Yarmouth's Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) from 2001 and Chair of the Social Forum; it was during this period that the LSP was awarded accredited status. He has experience of working both within and with local authorities and children's and adult social services.

Bernard has a keen interest in the promotion of sport as a means to living a healthier life and is a member of Great Yarmouth's Local Sports Partnership, which secured financial resources from Active England and established the local Exercise Action Project (LEAP).