Jailed NHS boss lands new top job

A SENIOR Stoke-on-Trent health official who was jailed for lying about his qualifications has landed another top job in the NHS.

Lee Whitehead, aged 45, was released after serving three weeks of a 12-week sentence imposed by North Staffordshire magistrates in January.

Now he has started work in a £57,500 post as service development manager with the Bexley Care Trust in Kent.

The role involves encouraging patients to use healthcare in the community rather than in hospitals.

Mr Whitehead had been appointed as the £78,000 director of planning and modernisation at Stoke-on-Trent Primary Care Trust in 2007 after falsely claiming he had a doctorate and Masters degree.

But he left in disgrace six months later when his lies came to light and the police were called in.

A spokesman for Bexley Care Trust said Mr Whitehead fully acknowledged that he had made a mistake and "error of judgment" and declared his misdemeanour in his application.

He added: "Mr Whitehead is an experienced NHS senior manager with nearly 20 years' service in the NHS.

"He has a proven track record of helping to deliver better services and is committed to improving service choice and delivery."

Related content on Lee Whitehead

Degrees of public trust

NHS boss jailed for lying on CV