THE man in charge of infection control during Maidstone Hospitals C-diff outbreaks of 2005 and 2006 has left the trust “by mutual agreement”.

Bernard Place, former director of nursing and infection control, no longer works for the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, its chairman George Jenkins, has announced.

Mr Place, took up the role when the current trust formed in 2000, and went on to become commissioning and healthcare director in April this year.

A spokesman for the trust confirmed the decision was directly related to the outbreaks of C-diff which have since made the trust the focus of national attention.

The spokesman said: “He has left the trust following the findings; it was his choice to go.”