Guernsey health chief Carol Tozer quits after damning report

The chief officer of Guernsey's health department has resigned a month after a report criticised her department's investigation into an Alderney doctor following patient deaths.

Dr Carol Tozer says she is returning to the UK to be with her family.

There were calls in Alderney on Wednesday for her to stand down over the case of Dr Rory Lyons, who was cleared of any wrongdoing.

The States' chief executive thanked Dr Tozer for her hard work.

Paul Whitfield said: "I wish to take this opportunity to thank Carol for all of her hard work, energy and drive which she has brought to HSSD {Health and Social Services Department], often during some difficult and public times."

As chief officer of HSSD for 19 months, Dr Tozer held the reins during challenging times for the department, including an extraordinary review of maternity services, and the investigation into Dr Lyons following the deaths of four patients.

Dr Lyons was later exonerated and allowed to practise again.

An independent report into the investigation followed, which found there was not a "sufficient weight of evidence" when concerns about the deaths were raised with authorities.

Last week Mr Whitfield and the deputy chief minister, Allister Langlois, held a meeting in Alderney to discuss the report with islanders, where there were several calls from members of the public for Dr Tozer to resign over the Dr Lyons case.

Before coming to Guernsey to take up her role as chief officer of HSSD, Dr Tozer was executive director of services at the charity, Scope.

She had previously held several high profile roles in community and social services in the UK.

In 2011 she resigned from her post as director of children's services in Torbay, Devon.