Newcastle appoints interim CEO

Newcastle Hospitals Foundation Trust has appointed an interim chief executive following Sir Jim Mackey’s temporary departure for NHS England.

Deputy chief executive Rob Harrison will step up as interim CEO while Sir Jim takes up the NHSE CEO role, Sir Paul Ennals, joint chair of NHFT and Northumbria Healthcare Foundation Trust, has announced.

Sir Paul said: “I am confident that there will be a smooth handover to Rob Harrison, deputy chief executive, who will act as our chief executive for the next period.

“Jim has made an enormous impact on each of us over the last 14 months and he has been instrumental in leading us through a turbulent period, fostering an open and transparent culture.”

He added he was sorry to see Sir Jim leave for a “short time”.

However, Penny Dash, the new NHSE chair, recently told MPs she believed the interim CEO was expected to stay in post for at least one to two years.

“I believe… that Jim Mackey is going to be doing this [interim role] for the next one to two years,” Dr Dash told MPs on the Commons health and social care committee, in a pre-appointment hearing.

Mr Harrison was appointed to Newcastle’s senior team in February last year, taking on day-to-day responsibility for running the trust’s hospitals and services on behalf of Sir Jim, who has been leading on elective recovery for NHSE.

He was previously managing director at South Tees Hospitals Foundation Trust, which he joined in 2020 from Harrogate and District Foundation Trust, where he served as chief operating officer for 10 years.