It’s been an absolute privilege to be your CEO.
Having joined Barts Health in the early days of the pandemic for six months to take up the interim CEO role at Newham Hospital, little did I expect to be leaving from that same position some 20 months later! To be part of the amazing team at Barts Health and particularly Newham Hospital has been an honour, and to lead the hospital through this extraordinary time has been a huge privilege.
I'm proud to say we rose to the challenge
It was an enormous task for all of us to care for those with Covid-19, but I’m proud to say we rose to the challenge. And that during this time, I got to see so many colleagues blossom and flourish as they’ve taken on new responsibilities in the most difficult of times.
We lost colleagues to this terrible disease who I know we all miss. I will take with me the memories of them and of speaking with their family and friends at the moving memorial services in the hospital grounds and through personal conversations. I’m grateful to and proud of each and every member of the Newham Hospital family for their work over the last 20 months and your continued hard work.
I have been delaying mentally accepting that I will be leaving Newham Hospital
We’ve made some big improvements to the hospital’s infrastructure and estates over the last two years. During this period we’ve had some great new facilities coming online together – from our new endoscopy washers, to new staff changing facilities – and with the promise of more. We’ve also modernised existing buildings and the IT system and made improvements in most of the indicators of quality.
I’ll be handing over the reins to Simon Ashton and I’m absolutely delighted that he will be taking over my CEO responsibilities. He is a leader with bags of integrity and compassion, as well as no shortage of talent. I’m looking forward to taking over the reins at East and North Hertfordshire (despite it being the middle of a tough winter) but have been delaying mentally accepting that I will be leaving Newham Hospital.
The word ‘family’ is often used about the team here at Newham Hospital and whilst I may end up becoming a long-lost member of that family (although I hope not completely!), like everyone who works here, I know I will always still feel part of it.
Thank you all again for everything you’ve done over the last 20 months. It’s been an absolute privilege to be your CEO.
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