Long-standing chief executive announces retirement

University Hospitals Dorset Foundation Trust CEO Debbie Fleming will step down from the role in March 2022. The trust plans on recruiting a new CEO over the next six months.

Ms Fleming has been a chief executive for two decades, across both the acute sector and at two primary care trusts.

She was appointed Poole Hospital FT CEO in 2014, where she served for five years before also leading the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals FT. She led the merger of the two organisations to form UHD after a long-standing battle to have plans approved.

Ms Fleming said the trust is now “well placed” to appoint a new CEO who will lead the next phase of the organisation’s development.

She said: “I feel incredibly privileged to be chief executive of such a fantastic organisation, made up of so many talented, skilled and dedicated people.

“I am confident that having successfully achieved our merger and established a strong platform for our new organisation, our trust is now well placed to appoint a new chief executive, who will take UHD through the next important phase of its development as it continues to go from strength to strength.”

She was also formerly CEO at Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust before moving to Hampshire PCT in 2010. She went on to hold the post of NHS England area director of Wessex.