Mental health nurse appointed trust CEO

A trust has appointed a mental health nurse as its permanent chief executive, after he held the post in an interim capacity for over a year.

Oxford Health Foundation Trust has named Grant Macdonald, previously its executive managing director for mental health, learning disabilities and autism, as its CEO. 

Mr Macdonald became interim CEO of the mental health trust last June when Oxford Health’s then substantive CEO Nick Broughton went on secondment to the local integrated care board, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West, as its interim chief executive. 

The trust began a national recruitment process for a substantive postholder when Mr Broughton was made permanent at BOB ICB in September. 

Mr Macdonald, who is a registered mental health nurse, was Oxford Health’s managing director for mental health, learning disabilities and autism from 2022-23. 

He has had a 36-year NHS career, with board-level experience including as chief operating officer at Southern Health FT, executive director of strategy and workforce at Central and North West London FT, and executive nurse and chief operating officer at Berkshire Healthcare FT. 

David Walker, chair of Oxford Health, said he “looks forward” to working with Mr Macdonald permanently, and added: “Grant is an exceptional leader with over 20 years’ experience as an executive director on NHS boards.”

Mr Macdonald said: “I am absolutely delighted to continue working with colleagues across Oxford Health, the BOB ICS and our partners across the South East, as we strive to build a health service fit for the future.”