Joint Chief Executive Appointed for Two Surrey Hospital Trusts

Louise Stead has been appointed as the new chief executive for two Surrey hospitals that have adopted a group operational model. Ms. Stead, who has served as chief executive officer at the Royal Surrey since 2018, will now lead the Royal Surrey’s collaborative efforts with Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. In October, the boards of both hospital trusts affirmed their decision to establish a group, characterizing themselves as “natural partners” while emphasizing their continued status as distinct organizations. These trusts collectively provide services to almost a million individuals, and a spokesperson indicated that they possess “complementary services and expertise”. Ms Stead commented: “I am delighted to be taking on the role of group chief executive officer at this pivotal moment in both trusts’ history as we embark on this exciting collaboration.” She added, “I am committed to enhancing our collective strengths and successes.” Further, Ms Stead described her appointment as “just the start” of their journey, indicating that the trusts would jointly define a longer-term vision for the group model’s success. Karen McDowell, chief executive officer for the Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care System and Integrated Care Board, remarked: “This group model is a big step forward in enabling greater collaboration between services across the two trusts to benefit patients.” Previously, in 2016, a proposed merger between the two hospitals was not implemented, citing financial concerns and “significant” pressures on the NHS.