A PUBLICLY elected official has resigned over disciplinary action against him but would have been sacked in any case.

Brendan Young, a shadow governor for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, stepped down on Monday night following a meeting investigating allegations of misconduct against him.

The trust accepted his resignation but would have recommended he be removed as a shadow governor anyway after 81 per cent of the select committee members backed this course of action.

The trust needed a majority of 75 per cent to have him removed.

My Young was unaware of this recommendation when he decided to resign by e-mail to the trust’s chairman Harry Turner later that evening.

Mr Young revealed plans to close 16 acute stroke beds at Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester and centralise the service at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, increasing the number of beds there from 18 to 28.

The action prompted the trust to pursue action against him on the basis of “allegations of misconduct detrimental to the trust” after health bosses claimed the documents were confidential, something Mr Young disputes.

Mr Young has appeared before a shadow council of governors select committee twice but decided to resign on Monday evening because he has lost trust in NHS leaders. He said: “For the past three years I have campaigned to ensure that the people of Worcestershire have a local stroke service in line with the National Stroke Strategy. I will not be able to progress this working with a hospital board with whom I have no respect.

“I have resigned as a voluntary shadow governor representing Malvern Hills area knowing I can achieve a great deal more for healthcare improvements as an independent campaigner than a shadow governor.”

Mr Young said a shadow governor could not represent the public with the system as it was.

He said: “What can you achieve by being a governor? Nothing. You don’t have any power or position. They are completely answerable to the trust chairman. They just want yes men.”

Trust chairman Harry Turner who chaired the second select committee meeting on Monday night said: “We welcome and encourage the scrutiny and critical appraisal of the trust’s business that our shadow council of governors provide.

“They are naturally party to sensitive information and we trust that they will treat the information they receive in a professional manner, as outlined in their code of conduct.

“We have now received Mr Young’s resignation. I am personally disappointed that we ended up in this situation as Brendan is passionate about healthcare and had a chance to influence healthcare in the county in his role as a shadow governor.”