TWO Hampshire MPs today warned controversial hospital trust boss Mark Hackett: We are watching you.

Former health minister and Southampton Itchen MP John Denham and Alan Whitehead, Southampton Test MP, said they would be keeping a close eye on the trust's finances.

The warning came after 41-year-old Mr Hackett was criticised for leaving his previous hospital in the West Midlands with crippling debts.

As revealed in the Daily Echo earlier this week, an independent review blamed Mr Hackett and his then finance director for huge expansion plans which left budgets severely over-stretched.

Mr Hackett then quit in the middle of an escalating cash crisis to take up his £145,000 post as chief executive of Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, leaving his own trust with an eventual £8.2m deficit.

In a joint statement issued to the Daily Echo, Southampton's two MPs said it was a matter for trust bosses to decide whether or not Mr Hackett had their full support.

Mr Denham and Mr Whitehead said: "The report acknowledges the rapid and successful expansion of the Wolverhampton trust but makes clear criticisms of its financial management and places part of the responsibility on Mark Hackett.

"It is for the Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust board to decide, in the light of this report, whether they have full confidence in Mr Hackett.

"They have given him that confidence and, as a consequence, responsibility for ensuring that the trust is properly managed financially must now be taken personally by members of the trust board.

"Our concern will continue to be to ensure that the significant increase in resources the trust has been given are used effectively to the benefit of patients."

Both MPs had met with Mr Hackett last month for talks about the financial situation at the trust, which runs Southampton General, the Royal South Hants and Princess Anne hospitals.

Trust bosses are struggling to reduce a budget deficit currently standing at £11.3m, and have recently voted to push ahead with up to 100 redundancies and the axing of 85 hospital beds.

Mr Hackett, who took over as Southampton's chief executive in August, is spearheading an ambitious recovery plan aimed at getting the troubled trust back on track.

Today union leaders in Southampton put their faith in Mr Hackett, despite hearing how he had failed to balance the books at the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust.

Claire Critchley, chairman of the Southampton University Hospitals Trust staff side, representing more than half the organisation's 7,000 staff, said: "Everyone accepts that the trust is facing a very difficult financial situation and must make difficult decisions.

"We believe the best way to do this is through an effective partnership between managers and staff side representatives at the trust."

She added: "We have been kept informed about the financial position from the outset, and are developing good working relationships with Mark Hackett and his fellow directors.

"We do not believe that replacing Mr Hackett as chief executive after such a short time would be in the best interests of patients, staff or local people."

The Daily Echo understands that trust bosses were fully aware of the financial crisis at Wolverhampton when Mr Hackett was chosen to replace Southampton's then chief executive, David Moss, in April.

Trust spokesman Peter Campion has confirmed the subject was discussed at the interview stage.

Richard Keightley, Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust chairman, renewed his faith in Mr Hackett after the independent review's damning findings this week.

He said: "Mark Hackett was appointed earlier this year because we believe he is the right man to move the trust forward at this particular stage in its development, and nothing has changed that belief."

Trust board members are due to meet for their regular monthly meeting at Southampton General Hospital next week.

Yesterday, Janice Viveash, one of the trust's six non-executive directors, told the Daily Echo: "We have already made a comment through our chairman, and that is the normal procedure.

"We will be having a board meeting next Tuesday and I presume there will be no further comment until after that time."

Mr Hackett has so far declined to comment about the review's findings.