HEALTH boss Calum Campbell is taking legal advice after failing to be offered a job in the shake up of the NHS in South Wales.

Sources said he felt he had been forced out of his role as acting chief executive for the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Trust, and was considering bringing a case for constructive dismissal.

Although Mr Campbell had been in post since February 2006, no role was forthcoming in the region's new LHB, which replaces the organisation.

Instead, London-based healthcare director David Sissling was offered the post as the LHB's new chief executive, while Mr Campbell did not even make the Assembly-compiled shortlist.

The current situation is said to have led Mr Campbell to consult his solicitors. But the acting chief executive has refused to be drawn over the claims.

A senior health worker in Swansea said: "I understand that Mr Campbell is seeing his solicitors over the situation with his job, because he thinks he's being made redundant.

"We were told in June that he would not be working at the trust for much longer and that in the first few weeks of early June or July he would be gone."

Clinical directors at the trust criticised Assembly Health Minister Edwina Hart's office in April for failing to include him in the shortlisting process for the top job. They said Mr Campbell should have been made boss of the new LHB, which will also replace the existing local health board.

The body, which will become fully operational by October, will be one of seven integrated organisations which will replace the 22 local health boards and seven NHS trusts currently in place.

A letter seen by the Evening Post, supported by the 12 clinical directors, labelled the selection process as "fundamentally flawed and unjust".

In a joint statement, at the time, they said: "We had expected that the appointment process would be designed to identify the most capable and experienced candidates; those who have a proven track record of delivering results and of effective clinical engagement.

"The fact that our acting chief executive Calum Campbell has not been shortlisted yet, suggests to us that the process is fundamentally flawed and unjust and is, therefore, unacceptable."

They said Mr Campbell, who was initially appointed to the former Swansea NHS Trust in February 2006 as operations manager, had helped turn the failing trust around after stepping up to the role of acting chief executive.

At the time, the Assembly said the short-listing and appointment process had been rigorous and involved the chairs designate of all LHBs.

An Assembly spokesman did not have any comment to offer on the claims. ABM NHS Trust also declined to comment.