Our plans for 2022/23
Leadership transitional arrangements
Now that Shane DeGaris is designated as Group Chief Executive for both the Barts Health group and Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, we are making arrangements for a smooth handover from Alwen Williams.
On 31 July, Alwen will step down and on 1 August Shane will take up his new role, formally becoming the single accountable officer. The two trusts remain separate bodies and Matthew Trainer will continue to run BHRUT on a day-to-day basis as its Chief Executive.
Meanwhile from next month (June), Shane will assume an enhanced executive role as Acting Group Chief Executive, overseeing the day-to-day running of Barts Health and chairing the weekly Group Executive Board.
This will enable Alwen to focus on progressing the collaboration with BHRUT, and mobilising a wider acute provider collaboration with Homerton hospital within the context of the new integrated care system for north east London.
To free up Shane, we will transfer executive oversight of estates and facilities management to Hardev Virdee, our Group Chief Financial Officer. This will include our Green Plan and bringing the Serco contract in-house next year.
In view of the importance of elective recovery over the next few months, Chris Pocklington, Group Director of Operations, will take day-to-day responsibility for the programme, chairing the Operations Board and reporting direct to Shane.
Andrew Hines, Group Director for Corporate Development, will support Alwen and Matthew on our provider collaborations, and within the group will take on responsibility for Performance and Business Intelligence.
Mark Turner, Interim Group Director of Strategy, will take over responsibility for Informatics, Business Planning, and executive sponsorship of the Barts Charity.
We anticipate appointing a new CEO for The Royal London hospital to succeed Jackie Sullivan in early June, and announcing permanent appointments for the leadership of both Newham and Whipps Cross hospitals later that month.
We will keep staff informed about any other arrangements that may be made over the next few months, including filling Shane’s existing role as deputy Group CEO.
We are also making sure there will be opportunities for colleagues to say goodbye to Alwen and thank her for her exemplary leadership over the last seven years.
Read our new group operational plan for 2022-23
We are now emerging from the worst of the pandemic into uncharted territory of a different sort.
The NHS is seeking to put itself on a fresh footing, recognising the reality of living with Covid-19. This means not only clearing the backlog of less urgent operations that build up during the pandemic, but also reconnecting with the themes of the NHS long-term plan that we began implementing when coronavirus took off.
We reflect this in our own Barts Health group operational plan 2022-23[pdf] 2MB by setting ourselves three objectives for the year ahead - becoming an inclusive organisation for staff, transforming care for patients, and building effective local partnerships.