Rich and I are on leave at the mo. A funny space of walking, a weekend away in Finland (me), going to FrightFest with Will and Owen (Rich), catching up with friends and family and more walking. Yesterday Tom left for a day out at Legoland with Yellow Submarine. Lying in bed, vaguely (not) making day plans (around work stuff) we heard the Sloven CEO’s resignation was imminent. Within 10 minutes there was official announcement.

The day became a media thing. A heightened media thing. Reminiscent of the day of the vindictive cow caller. My phone kept pinging. We were a bit half arsed in our responses and hit or missed Sky News, Huw Edwards, Radio 5 Live, Radio 4 PM, BBC News… ITV Meridian and the Daily Fail just pitched up at home. The cheeky scamps.

It turned out the story was the usual Sloven spin and deceit (with the apparent approval of NHS Improvement). Percy was retaining her salary to do some made up nonsense. Truly extraordinary. Both Percy and Smart blame media attention [I know] for making the chief exec role untenable. The personal media attention levelled at Percy apparently. Mmm.

Not sure anyone was simply gunning for her. Take this piece, for example:

Notwithstanding this point, failing to acknowledge well known and longstanding failures in their statements is deeply offensive. Smart, who has scrambled egg on his face in a big way having endorsed Percy and the board only weeks ago, lists her “successes” in a blatantly fake, arse covering way:

Great resilience, devotion, well suited to lead the trust (and to do vital work with GP leaders), ensured joined up working with health and care organisations, leaving the trust financially sound… and blahdy blah.

Joined up working? Like greedily devouring Oxfordshire learning disability provision, leaving it to rot, allowing people to die [die] and then losing the contract…? How could you write this shite?

Now, we ain’t rocket scientists but both Percy and Smart seem to be talking from a leaving hymn sheet in their statements. Percy signs off:

While Smart states:

You don’t wish people all the best at work if you’re staying. Or thank someone for their years of service when they ain’t leaving. So it appears that we will continue to pay Percy’s inflated salary indefinitely while she does, erm, very little. [Chris Gordon in the above piece has already been seconded to NHS Improvement in a you could not make it up move… bizarrely leaving the hapless Medical Director on the board. The person who turned up to LB’s inquest without even doing the most basic homework about the Trust].

What is truly sickening is we all know this is complete bollocks. And it seems there is nothing we can do about it.

The reality is Katrina Percy failed as a leader. And her executive team failed alongside her. As Paul Kemp tweeted earlier, this is what she leaves behind.