‘Chief executive of the year’ to retire after 25 years

A winner of HSJ’s chief executive of the year award is to retire next year, she has announced. 

Sheena Cumiskey will leave Cheshire and Wirral Partnership Foundation Trust in May, after 25 years as an NHS chief and 38 years working in the service.

She was named HSJ chief executive of the year in 2015, and has been a fixture in HSJ’s annual Top 50 chief executives list.

As well as her trust role, she was mental health chief executive lead in the development of the 2019 NHS long-term plan, and chairs the NHS North West Leadership Academy. She was also interim executive lead of Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System. 

She said: “I am looking forward to the next six months before I retire as there is much to do during this period to help support our wonderful staff at a very testing time for the NHS and social care – and also in the midst of considerable change to the way the NHS is organised.”

CWP chair Mike Maier said: “Sheena epitomises what it means to be a public servant. Her outstanding career has spanned all aspects of provision and commissioning – making a significant contribution to championing mental health issues. Sheena is seen universally as an arch collaborator.”

Ms Cumiskey has been CWP’s chief since 2010 and has previously led several acute and primary care trusts in the North West.