New boss for NHS Trust
THE Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust has announced its new chief executive.
The trust, which operates Pinderfields, Pontefract and Dewsbury Hospitals, will be run by Len Richards, who will join in October.
Mr Richards is currently the chief executive at the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, which he has led since 2017.
He will replace outgoing chief executive Martin Barkley, who will retire this summer after five years in the role.
Mr Richards said: “I am delighted to be joining the trust at what is such a critical time for the NHS.
“It is clear that Mid Yorkshire has made significant progress in recent years in improving services and creating a positive culture for staff.
“To be given the opportunity to lead the trust in its continuing journey towards providing an excellent patient experience each and every time is a privilege.
“And I’m really looking forward to working with what is clearly a committed and dedicated workforce.”
A onetime production engineer, Mr Richards’ first senior role within the NHS was with a trust in Wirral, where he started in 2006.
He later spent four years working in Australia before returning to
Britain to take up his current post in South Wales.
The chair of the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust, Keith Ramsay, said: “We are extremely pleased to make this appointment.
“The trust, like all others across the country, has experienced extraordinary pressure throughout this last year due to the pandemic.
“As we focus our attention on the recovery of services for our patients and support for our staff, Len’s considerable experience and expertise will no doubt prove invaluable.
“I look forward to working alongside him, building on the great work already in place, and taking forward our ambitious plans for the future.”