Pressure is mounting on the heads of a struggling hospital trust to resign.

Darren Grayson and Stuart Welling have been urged to take the “honourable” course of action and step down as chief executive and chairman of East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.

Eastbourne Borough Council leader David Tutt said a change of leadership at the top was the only way the trust could start to move on.

However chief executive Mr Grayson and chairman Stuart Welling say they have no intention of resigning and they still have a job to do. A notice of motion calling for the two men to stand down was unanimously passed by Eastbourne Borough Council on Wednesday night.

The motion also called for the trust to be placed in special measures. The vote came after members of East Sussex health overview and scrutiny committee declared a vote of no confidence in the two men at a meeting on Friday.

A damning report into the trust was issued by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) earlier this year following an inspection in September and it was given an inadequate rating.

The results of a follow-up visit made in March are due to be published in July.

CQC inspectors found a “worrying disconnect” between senior managers and frontline staff, allegations of bullying and a leadership described as a “dictatorship”.

Concerns were also raised about the trust’s surgery and maternity and outpatients services. The trust says it was already aware of many of the issues raised in the report and steps were being taken to improve them.

Coun Tutt said: “It sounds hard but the trust cannot move on until they go. We need an independent, external team to take over, look at what has been happening and start doing something about it.

“The mood among councillors at the meeting is that the trust has been run down over the last few years. When you read about the inadequacies raised in the CQC report it makes for shocking reading.”

A Q&A with Darren Grayson

Q: There have been calls for the resignation of yourself and the chairman. What is your response to that and why do you feel you should stay? Do you feel your positions are becoming untenable?

A: The chairman and I have no intention of resigning. I have always been clear that our organisation is on a journey of improvement and that it will take prolonged and sustained effort to resolve the issues we face. There is still work to be done and we believe that with the support of our staff and the board we can make further progress. We are confident that we will be able to make the improvements required by building on the work we have already done and the improvements we have already delivered.

Q: Serious concerns were raised about the “disconnect” between the board and staff and allegations of bullying. How have you addressed this?

A: We have a comprehensive staff engagement plan in place and we are working with the board and our staff to strengthen this. We are focusing on supporting all our managers and staff to create a sense of identity and belonging within their teams and units because we believe this will help staff to feel even more proud of their work and the services we provide. Board members get out and about in the organisation as much as possible visiting services and clinical areas and we will be doing more of this over the coming months. We are always very encouraged by the positive and open way in which many of our staff raise concerns and issues both face to face and through other routes. We are working with staff to help ensure everyone feels able to raise any concerns they may have and that they get timely feedback and know how their concerns are being acted on.

Q: Is the trust changing its whistleblowing policy following the issues raised in the report?

A: We have recently reviewed our policy on whistleblowing and dignity at work including bullying and harassment following the publication of Robert Francis’ Freedom to Speak Up Review. I find it completely unacceptable for any member of staff to experience bullying and harassment in our organisation or for them not to be able to raise their concerns. My aim is to make sure all staff are able to work with their colleagues in an environment where they are supported to deliver good care to our patients. We can only do this if we provide a working environment that ensures all staff are treated, and treat others, with dignity and respect at work.

Q: Would you be happy for yourself or your family to be treated by the trust?

A: I certainly would. I have been treated here myself as have many of the board and their family members. I am really proud of the care our nurses and doctors provide which was rated as good by the CQC. I would like to reassure local people that since the inspection in September 2014 we have addressed many of the concerns raised and we are currently working hard to resolve the outstanding issues in our action plan.

Q: Do you agree the trust has lost the confidence of the public and how do you feel that confidence can be won back?

A: It is true that some of the changes we have made have not been popular in some parts of the county but it is certainly not a universally held view cross the whole county.

What matters to me is the care we provide for our patients and the outcomes that care delivers. I think the best way of building confidence is through providing the patients we care for and the staff who provide that care with the best possible experience.

That means not being afraid to say when things have gone wrong and being prepared to change things when they could be better. It also means we need to keep letting the public know about the improvements we are making in the care we provide.

Q: Do you feel the inadequate rating given by the Care Quality Commission was a fair one?

A: We are all incredibly disappointed to receive the overall inadequate rating for the trust.

The reports reflect the journey we are on which has already resulted in significant improvements and a willingness to address concerns and improve patient safety and care.

Changing the culture of a large complex organisation is not an overnight job and there is always more that we can do.

We have not stood still in the many months since the CQC first inspected our organisation.

We have already addressed many of the concerns that the CQC found with some issues fully resolved and others well on their way to completion.

Q: What are your next steps in terms of improving performance at the trust?

A: We need to fully address the issues raised in the CQC report and we have an action plan in place to address them.

We are working hard to deliver national referral to treatment waiting times whilst at the same time reducing the backlog of patients waiting over 18 weeks.

We are implementing a new medical records and administration process which will greatly improve the running of clinics throughout the trust, making them more responsive to our patients needs.