Chair to step down after decade at trust

Phil Townsend will leave West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals Trust early next year. He has been chair of the organisation since 2020. 

The trust said he was unable to extend his tenure any further due to the number of years served already.

Mr Townsend joined the trust as a non-executive director in 2011. The former BT director was vice chair between 2014 and 2019 and interim chair for a short period after that.

His move follows the departure of vice chair Jonathan Rennison in the summer. Edwin Joseph and Professor Ann Griffiths have since jointly taken over as vice chairs. 

WHTH said the process to recruit a new chair is now under way.

The trust is planning to rebuild its main site, Watford General Hospital, in the national New Hospital Programme.

It ended last year nearly £14m in deficit. It has a £5m deficit plan this year with a 5 per cent — £26m — cost savings plan.

The trust told HSJ that Mr Townsend will be stepping down as chair in February next year after reaching the end of his term.

Its statement said: Phil has been an outstanding chair and has done a brilliant job with the trust over the last 12 years, helping steer the organisation through a period of significant improvement.

“He cares deeply and passionately about our trust, our patients and our workforce. His warm, kind and down-to-earth manner has made him not only well respected but also well liked across the organisation.”