Finance chief who ‘eradicated trust’s deficit’ is made CEO

A trust has appointed a chief executive whose track record as finance director includes work towards eliminating its underlying deficit. 

Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust has appointed Sheila Stenson, currently its deputy chief executive and finance director, as CEO. She will replace Helen Greatorex, who is due to retire this autumn, after leading the trust for seven years. 

Ms Stenson’s background is in NHS financial management, with experience working with financially challenged trusts.

She joined the trust in 2017 as its finance director, and her work “has resulted in KMPT’s history of breaking even and this year being on track to eradicate its underlying financial deficit”, it said in its announcement of her appointment.

Ms Stenson has previously held deputy and associate FD roles at South London Healthcare Trust (since split up), Medway Foundation Trust and Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust, and she has over 20 years’ total NHS experience.

The trust said she had also been involved in “setting ambitious new standards to make [the trust’s] estate greener and cleaner, and transforming the digital services on offer so staff can use technology to free up [time]”.

KMPT’s chair Jackie Craissati said: “A number of very experienced people with strong track records applied. Sheila was the outstanding candidate, having led significant change in her 20 year plus NHS career.”