SENIOR health bosses have distanced themselves from the decision allowing former hospital chief Phil Morley to stay in the NHS despite presiding over a "culture of bullying" in East Yorkshire.
Phil Morley quit the trust in April, weeks before the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published a report into the "culture of bullying" at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham.
A report published this week by conciliation service ACAS, also accused Mr Morley and his senior management team of nepotism and cronyism while allowing a culture of bullying to thrive as he attempted to push the hospitals towards foundation trust status.
Mr Morley was appointed chief executive of Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, despite his sudden departure from his job in Hull.
Now, the Trust Development Authority (TDA), which governs NHS trusts around the country, and the Department of Health have said the decision to appoint Mr Morley to another top NHS job was nothing to do with them.
A spokesman for TDA, which is now studying the ACAS report, said: "The decision on the appointment of a new chief executive officer to Princess Alexandra Hospital was made by the board of the trust."
The Department of Health also said it had "no role" in his appointment.
After his departure, the Mail discovered Mr Morley had racked up a £50,000 bill on his NHS credit card, including stays at five-star hotels and fine dining at some of East Yorkshire's best restaurants.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt faced tough questioning over Mr Morley's appointment to his new position despite concerns raised over his performance and his treatment of staff in East Yorkshire.
MP Diana Johnson wrote to Mr Hunt to ask why Mr Morley was free to work in the top job at another hospital trust.
A Department of Health spokesman declined to go into detail as it was private correspondence.
However, the reply to the MP for Hull North from parliamentary under-secretary for health Dan Poulter MP, which was seen by the Mail, states: "Local NHS organisations are the employers of the staff within those organisations.
"The contractual arrangements for very senior managers in the NHS are between the employing organisation and the employee.
"The public have a right to expect that people in leading positions in NHS organisations are fit for those roles. We do need to do more to ensure that those who lead the NHS, such as hospital board members, take responsibility for their actions and for the management and leadership of their organisations."
Mr Morley met union leaders representing workers from Princess Alexandra Hospital and they say they have confidence in his ability to save their hospital and protect jobs.
Unison branch secretary Waida Forman said: "The NHS is crumbling and if we lose this hospital, we will be in dire straits, so we have said we will work with him.
"What he has done in the past is not our problem. We will judge him on what he does at this hospital.
"He has a lot of good ideas and since he has been here, he has actually saved jobs. He hasn't cut any jobs and I can't say anything bad about the man. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt."
MP to raise issue in ParliamentHull North MP Diana Johnson is set to raise the issue over Mr Morley's reappointment when Parliament resumes next week.
The Labour MP has repeatedly challenged the Government over Mr Morley's new role since his departure from Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust in April.
Ms Johnson said: "I raised the circumstances of Phil Morley's sudden departure from Hull, just before May's critical CQC report, with the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, in the House of Commons.
"It's a concern for the wider NHS that Mr Morley has moved so quickly into another high-flying NHS job, this time in Essex."
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