Brighton’s hospital trust has appointed a new chief executive to take charge in the spring.
Matthew Kershaw will head Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust which runs the Royal Sussex County Hospital and the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Kemp Town.
He has been working as the trust special administrator in charge of the financially troubled South London Healthcare NHS Trust since last July.
The GMB union described Mr Kershaw as an axeman who would try to bring the government’s cuts agenda to Brighton.
Mr Kershaw has spent more than 20 years in health care. He was the chief executive of Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust and national director for provider delivery at the Department of Health.
Interim chief executive Chris Adcock will remain in charge at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals (BSUH) until Mr Kershaw takes up his new post.
The job became vacant when former BSUH chief executive Duncan Selbie was appointed chief executive of a new organisation called Public Health England.
BSUH chairman Julian Lee said: “I am extremely pleased that Matthew has agreed to be our new chief executive.
“Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals is a young and dynamic teaching hospital with a number of extremely exciting developments planned and already in train, not least the £420 million redevelopment of the Royal Sussex County Hospital campus which involves the replacement of some of the oldest buildings in the country which still house wards and clinical services.
“Matthew’s track record demonstrates that he is an effective visionary leader and undoubtedly the person to direct the next chapter in the BSUH story.”
Mr Kershaw said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as the new chief executive at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals.
“This is a crucial time for the trust and I look forward to working with patients, staff, the board and our key partners in the medical school and across Brighton, East and West Sussex in leading the trust to its next stage of development.
“Providing the best possible care to patients today, developing services and the buildings for the future, enhancing the medical school and becoming a foundation trust are just some of the priorities that we will need to work on together.”
GMB senior organiser Rob Macey said: “The appointment of ‘axeman’ Mathew Kershaw as chief executive is bad news for Brighton and bad news for patients who depend on NHS services.
“Kershaw is currently the trust special administrator at South London Healthcare and has produced a report to the government which recommends sweeping cuts such as the closure of accident and emergency departments, the loss of consultant-led maternity units, the loss of jobs, the privatisation of NHS services and the sell-off of NHS assets and premises.
“As such, GMB is warning the public that Kershaw will undoubtedly attempt to bring the government’s cuts agenda to Brighton and that the public, patients and staff alike will need to stand together to defend our local NHS.”
