Former trust boss named as hospital MD

A former chief executive has been hired to run a hospital belonging to a major trust in the East of England.

Mid and South Essex FT has revealed the names of the three managing directors who will run each of its acute sites following a recruitment drive last year.

Julie Smith, who was chief executive at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospital FT until last year, has been named as MD for Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford. 

She left her CEO role after two years in post to spend more time with family and study for an MBA. She started at MSEFT this month, according to her LinkedIn.

The new managing director for Basildon Hospital is Cherry West, who was interim chief operating officer at University Hospitals Birmingham FT until last year.

Fiona Ryan has been made permanent MD of Southend Hospital after holding the interim post at Basildon on a secondment.

MSEFT is facing a significant financial challenge which saw it placed in the highest rung of national oversight last year. It is also in tier one - the most challenged group - for elective and cancer performance, board papers show.

The leadership changes were confirmed by outgoing trust chair Nigel Beverley in his February report to the board.

MSEFT posted an advert for all three posts last year at a salary of £150,000 each, depending on experience. It said successful candidates would be responsible for the management of their hospitals and report to trust CEO Matthew Hopkins.

The trust said at the time there had been interim MDs in place since a merger of the three hospitals in 2020, but the roles were only now being made substantive following a review of the trust leadership structure.