Further senior leadership changes at Medway

Morag Jackson, previously director of projects at UHB, will take on the role of chief operating officer at Medway on a permanent basis from November.

The move follows a three month project where UHB offered support to Medway.

Ms Jackson will have a pivotal role at the trust and her arrival will coincide with a shake-up of the Medway’s management structure.

Chief executive Philip Barnes’ report to the October board meeting said it had reviewed management structures within its corporate and clinical services divisions and was proposing changes to line management and the “scope of some roles”.

The shake-up would “clarify roles and responsibilities” and “make the management of the organisation more effective”, he added.

“The executive team and I are aware that this is an unsettling time for members of staff and hope that the completion of the process will allow staff a greater sense of stability for the future.”

The trust is consulting with staff affected by the proposed changes and the “new structures” will be decided by the end of December.

A spokeswoman for Medway said: “Work is taking place at the trust to ensure we have the most effective structures and lines of accountability in place. This is not a cost saving exercise.”

Medway’s chief nurse, Steve Hams, has stood down from his role.

Mr Hams was one of the few remaining long term board members after the departure of the chief executive, chair, finance director and director of organisational development earlier this year.

Steve Beaumont, currently chief nurse of West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group, will be taking over the chief nurse role at the trust in November on secondment. He previously served 20 years in the RAF nursing service.

A new director of workforce has also been recruited. Roberta Baker was previously director of people and organisational development at the NHS Business Services Authority.

The trust spokeswoman said: “Steve Hams, our chief nurse, took the decision to step down. Under his leadership our nursing, midwifery and care services have continued to develop and we will build on Steve’s work to confidently take the next steps in our improvement journey.”