Trust CEO leaves to join expanding hospital group

A community trust chief executive is leaving to become the first managing director of an acute hospital which has joined an expanding provider group.

Stephen Collman, currently CEO of Norfolk Community Health and Care Trust, has been appointed managing director at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust and will join later this year.

Last week WAHT, which has long struggled with performance problems in emergency care, became the latest member of the Foundation Group led by Glen Burley.

Mr Burley has become WAHT chief executive – in addition to South Warwickshire Foundation Trust, George Eliot Hospital Trust and Wye Valley Trust – while Russell Hardy is now the chair of all four.

Under the model, each trust appoints a managing director to lead day-to-day operations and Mr Collman will take on this role for WAHT. In the meantime, deputy chief executives Christine Blanshard and Neil Cook will provide additional support.

Before joining NCHC in 2021, Mr Collman was George Eliot’s chief operating officer. Before that, he held the same role at Worcestershire Health and Care Trust.

In an announcement to staff, Mr Burley said: “Stephen is a highly experienced and well-respected NHS leader. As many of you may already be aware, he also has experience of working in our local health economy… 

“A registered mental health nurse, in addition to his experience of operational leadership, Stephen has led strategic transformation programmes of work covering acute, community, mental health and learning disability services as well as managing a range of corporate portfolios.”

On his departure from NCHC, Mr Collman said he had been “immensely proud” to work as its CEO.

His appointment comes after previous WAHT CEO Matthew Hopkins and his board approved a move into the Foundation Group in June, ahead of his departure for the chief executive role at Mid and South Essex FT.