Longest-serving acute trust CEO steps down

The NHS’s longest-serving general acute trust chief executive has announced she is stepping down after more than 20 years.

Ann Marr has confirmed she is standing back from her role at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust and more than four decades in the health service.

She became chief executive of St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals Trust in 2003 and then CEO of Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust in 2021. Both trusts merged to become MWLTHT last July.

HSJ analysis suggests she’s the longest-serving trust CEO aside from Dame Cally Palmer, who is CEO of the specialist Royal Marsden Foundation Trust.

Ms Marr began her NHS career as a junior clerk and rose to become director of finance at two trusts in Merseyside. She was the chief executive of Liverpool Women’s Hospital in 2001 before joining SHKTHT. 

The trust won numerous national awards under her leadership and was rated “outstanding” by the Care Quality Commission in March 2019. She was awarded an OBE in 2020.

Ms Marr said: “After 44 years in the NHS, I have decided the time has come to take life a little easier.

“It has been the most tremendous privilege to work with such wonderful, talented people and to serve our community. I would like to thank every single member of staff for their care, compassion and kindness.

“I am confident that the trust’s future is bright and the services we provide will continue to be amongst the best in the country.”

MWLTHT chair Richard Fraser said: “Ann’s unwavering commitment to delivering five-star patient care has seen her recognised as one of the top NHS chief executives in the country.”

She will remain in post to enable recruitment to take place. 

Meanwhile, Eileen Fairhurst has announced she is stepping down as chair of Northern Care Alliance Foundation Trust in October.

Professor Fairhurst first joined in 2022, and the trust said she was stepping down due to personal circumstances.