Major acute trust appoints new chief

Deputy chief executive and finance director Caroline Walker will replace Mr Graves to run the trust which was created by a major merger last year to run Peterborough City and Hinchingbrooke district general hospitals.

Ms Walker joined Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals Foundation Trust in April 2013 as finance director. She played a leading role in the merger of Peterborough with Hinchingbrooke Health Care Trust which created the new NWAFT in April 2017.

A trust statement said: “Her career in finance within the NHS dates back to 1982 and has seen her work at University Hospitals of Leicester Trust, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Barts and the London Trust. She has also been chief operating officer at Loughborough University.

Ms Walker said: “I am delighted and proud to be taking up this role following a period of transition with our current chief executive, Stephen Graves.”

News of Mr Graves’ retirement emerged earlier this week. In a statement issued by the trust to HSJ, Mr Graves said it had been an “enormous honour” to lead the trust since he was appointed in November 2014.

But he said he felt that with the merger live and a new five year clinical strategy recently rubberstamped, the trust was ready to move onto the next phase of its development under new leadership.

He said: “It has been, and will continue to be, an enormous honour and privilege to work with such a talented and committed group of people who provide outstanding care and support to our patients and their families every single day.

“I look forward to continuing to work with our staff until I leave and I remain fully committed to our organisation, staff and patients until that time.”