Groogan latest Trust chief to transfer

Sara Groogan is taking up a new role as Assistant Director of Performance Management at the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB). The move follows the retirement of the Trust’s head of acute services Geraldine Gillick. She’s been replaced by Mrs Geraldine McKay who takes on the role of interim Director of Acute Services.

Meanwhile, the Trust’s A&E chief Alan McKinney has become temporary Medical Director whilst Dr Anne Kilgallen spends a year working at Harvard and the Institute for Health Care Improvement (IFI) in Massachusets, Trust chair Gerard Guckian wished the new appointments well. “He also wished Dr Kilgallen well in her fellowship and said the Trust looked forward to benefiting from the learning from her fellowship and he wished Mrs Hillick a long and happy retirement,” a Trust minutes reads.

Chief Executive Elaine Way also revealed that Dr Kilgallen’s absence meant the Trust didn’t have a “responsible officer” for the process of the “revalidation of doctors,” for example.

That’s the process to assure the General Medical Council (GMC) that doctors are up to date and fit to practice. Mr McKinney will now take up this role.

“Mrs way asked the Trust Board to formally note that Mr Alan McKinney had been designated by the Trust to take on the Responsible Officer role and responsibilities from June 17,” the minute reads.