AddThis SmartLayers

Former daily editor takes on hospital role

A respected former regional newspaper editor has been appointed to a top role at a hospital on his former patch.

Peter Franzen OBE, former editor of the Eastern Daily Press and Great Yarmouth Mercury has been named as interim chairman of the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston, Great Yarmouth.

He will take over from John Hemming who resigned as chairman following increasing concerns over the quality of patient care.

Peter, who stepped down as editor of the EDP in 2009,  has been a non-executive director of the Gorleston hospital since 2005.

Said Peter: “In my time at the James Paget I have been struck by the talent, hard work and passion that staff have for the job of caring for patients.

“A small number of elderly patients were not cared for in the way they should have been and we are very unhappy about that.

“Dignity and respect for the elderly, no matter how complex their conditions, should never be compromised.

“I have no doubt, this is a good hospital where the vast majority of patients have nothing but praise for the staff and the way they have been treated both medically and personally.”

Lead governor Hugh Sturzaker said: “In Peter we have a dynamic individual who is passionate about patients and health issues and I hope that everyone in the Trust will get behind him in his task of correcting the issues identified by the Care Quality Commission and restoring confidence in what is a first-class hospital.”

Peter was editor of the EDP for 16 years until his retirement.  He received an OBE for services to journalism in 2005.