Trusts lose interim CEO three months into role

Andy Callow became interim chief of University Hospitals of Northamptonshire Group, which covers Northampton General Hospital Trust and Kettering General Hospital Foundation Trust, in early October, after Simon Weldon went on extended leave from the role.

However, it has been announced that Mr Callow will leave in January to be chief digital and information officer at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust.

Northamptonshire told HSJ that Mr Weldon remained on leave for health reasons, and that it was still finalising who would take over as interim in January. 

The two trusts share a chair – Alan Burns – but have separate hospital-level directors: Deborah Needham leads Kettering General and Heidi Smoult leads Northampton General.

Mr Weldon has been CEO of both trusts since July 2020 and was chief executive of Kettering Hospital from 2018. Before this he was director of operations and delivery at NHS England.

Mr Callow joined Kettering General as chief digital information officer in April 2019 and became group chief digital information officer in December 2020.

NUH chief executive Anthony May said: “Andy brings with him a wealth of experience in digital services and was the unanimous choice of the recruitment panel.”