CEO of major hospital group announces departure

A memo sent to staff at Salford Royal Foundation Trust and Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust yesterday, seen by HSJ, said Raj Jain will step down at the end of the summer.

It said the position will be advertised externally and “go through a robust and transparent [recruitment] process”.

The trusts have been operating as a group model under the Northern Care Alliance brand. They are due to legally merge later this year, in a process which has been delayed by six months.

Group chair Michael Luger wrote in the memo: “Raj has informed our board of his intention to retire at the end of summer this year after he oversees the final completion of the [Pennine Acute Hospitals] transaction which will see the formal acquisition of Oldham, Bury and Rochdale [hospitals].

“This is very much Raj’s personal decision and one that we as colleagues and friends understand and support…

“Over the last two years since leading the NCA as chief executive, the organisation has benefited greatly from Raj’s talent and leadership qualities.

“He has built a strong executive team and has not only helped drive forward our group plans and led us through a difficult period in our response to the pandemic, but has continued to focus his attention on progressing a host of important areas and strategic priorities.”

The memo also included a message from Mr Jain, who wrote: “It is with significant mixed emotions that I took the decision to retire from my post of chief executive.

“My wife, also an executive in the NHS, and I have made a life decision to rebalance our working lives so that we can devote more time to our family, friends, and ourselves. I am 60 years old next year and we both felt that it was the right time to reduce work commitments.”

Mr Jain was previously chief strategy and organisational development officer at Salford Royal, and is also a former chief executive of Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital FT.

Chris Brookes, the group’s chief medical officer and deputy chief executive, will serve as interim CEO.

When Mr Jain was appointed in 2019, the trusts said they had developed “an exemplar talent management programme and robust succession planning arrangements, which… contributed to the rigorous assessment of suitability for this appointment”.