THE management crisis in the health service has worsened with the resignation of a senior director who accused ministers of “deceit over reform”.

Professor Aidan Halligan, director of clinical governance, stood down this week, leaving another vacancy at the top of the NHS, The Times has learnt. Nine senior positions are filled at present by temporary replacements or new appointees for staff who have resigned.

The news came as the problems over jobs in the NHS increased, with another health trust announcing yesterday that it was losing 600 posts.

Professor Halligan shocked ministers last month when he condemned their failure to overhaul the NHS as they poured in billions of pounds of extra cash. His remarks were used in the Commons by David Cameron, the Conservative leader, to embarrass Tony Blair.

The resignation of Professor Halligan comes two months after the sudden departure of Sir Nigel Crisp, the chief executive of the NHS and Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health. Andrew Foster, another senior department figure, also recently announced that he was leaving.

Andrew Lansley, the Shadow Health Secretary, said: “The Department of Health is a department without leadership, without direction and without any effective financial control. It is not surprising in the context of Mr Blair’s failing Government.

“The ministers must take responsibility. There is a crisis of confidence between NHS staff on the one hand and the ministers and Department of Health on the other, because of the latter’s failure to articulate a clear and effective policy.”

It remains unclear why Sir Nigel resigned at a time of increasing pressure on the NHS caused by worsening deficits. But within weeks of the announcement it emerged that Mr Foster, the head of workforce planning at the department and another figure central to its reform programme, was stepping down. The department said that Mr Foster had chosen to leave to pursue other health service interests.

Professor Halligan, who was until last year the country’s second-most senior doctor when he served as deputy Chief Medical Officer, has decided to leave public service altogether.

In a letter on Monday to Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Halligan thanked him for all his “support, encouragement and many kindnesses over the years”.

Professor Halligan, a former lecturer in obstetrics, used an interview in a health service journal last month to criticise what he said was a failure to reform the NHS.

“We have learnt that throwing money at the problem only allows us to do more of what we have always done,” he said. “Any suggestion of real reform has been a deceit. Working patterns, practice and custom are at the heart of many capacity issues [in the NHS] and have never been challenged.”

Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals confirmed plans yesterday to cut 600 jobs in an attempt to save £33 million. The trust said that it could not rule out compulsory redundancies, although it has 600 vacancies.

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