The chief executive brought in to turn around a £11m deficit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital is leaving to lead the recovery of another cash-strapped NHS Trust.

The chief executive brought in to turn around a £11m deficit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital is leaving to lead the recovery of another cash-strapped NHS Trust.

Ruth May and QEH staff have run a cost cutting programme which will see the hospital back in the black by the end of this financial year.

Today she told staff she will be leaving King's Lynn next month to take over as interim chief executive of the Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust.

Rowena Barnes, currently the QEH's director of delivery and performance, will take over as interim chief executive, supported closely by Gwyneth Wilson, deputy chief executive.

Ruth May said: “As a team we have made a fantastic job of improving finances and performance at The QEH. Although I shall be very sad to be leaving I have been asked to lead a similar challenge at an even larger NHS Trust.

“This reflects well on our achievements here and the fact that we are no longer a struggling Trust and are held in high regard by the Strategic Health Authority.”

Neil McKay, Chief Executive of NHS East of England, said “I am delighted that Ruth has decided that her next career move will see her stay in the east of England and I look forward to continuing to work with her at Mid-Essex. I am sure that QEH will continue to deliver high-class healthcare under new management.”

Mid-Essex Hospital Service Trust has more than 3,000 staff spread across two main hospital sites and a number of outlying facilities, serving a population of 350,000 in the Chelmsford area. Its finances are understood to