NHS trusts’ CEO to extend stay, new group chair announced for Lincolnshire authorities
A delay to the recruitment process for a new chief executive at two of Lincolnshire’s NHS trusts means the current CEO will be staying for a few months longer than previously anticipated.
Andrew Morgan was due to step down as CEO of both United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust and Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust at the end of March 2024 — but that date has since been pushed back.
Mr Morgan will now remain in the role until the end of June to allow for a full recruitment process to take place.
“I have always loved the NHS and still think it is the best part of our society,” he said in a departing letter to colleagues.
“I am so proud that, every day, ULHT has a positive impact on the lives of thousands of people across our county.”
It is a joint position Mr Morgan has held since 2023, having replaced Maz Fosh as CEO of Lincolnshire Community Health Services when the two trusts merged into a group model.
However, Mr Morgan has been the Chief of United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust since 2019, overseeing the once-in-a-generation difficulties of a public health crisis in the form of a COVID-19 pandemic.
Staff shortages, lockdowns and intense pressure on the health service saw Lincoln County Hospital declare three critical incidents in the space of just two weeks at the end of 2022 and start of 2023.
2023 challenges have also been exacerbated by a series of strike action across the NHS, whether it be junior doctors, consultants or healthcare assistants clashing with the government over wages and working conditions.
Industrial action in October saw more than 1,200 appointments rescheduled across Greater Lincolnshire hospitals in the space of three days, while the first wave of January strikes resulted in 165 outpatients procedures being cancelled in 48 hours.
As per the most recent NHS dataset (December 2023), the total backlog for patients at ULHT stands at 1,129, with 42.6% of those waiting over 18 weeks for treatment.
With these challenges comes financial incentive for the role, though. The CEO position, according to ULHT’s annual report and accounts for the 2022/23 financial year, is £232,500 a year.
This is almost five times higher than the 25th percentile of healthcare workers at the trust, who received £47,486 across the same time period.
There will be a new appointment at management level for the two NHS trusts in the initial timescale, though, with Elaine Baylis being unveiled as the new group chair for both ULHT and LCHS.
Baylis brings 45 years of public sector experience to the role, including a decade in the NHS system, and will begin her role from April 1.
She has been the chair of ULHT for the last five years, and previously served as chair of LCHS until March 2023, with her new role now implementing both trusts together at once.
Both trusts moved to a group model last year in a bid to share decision-making capabilities and enhance the varied services the two trusts can provide in Lincolnshire.
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Baylis’ appointment announcement last month has enabled the recruitment process for a new chief executive to commence.
Andrew Morgan’s upcoming retirement does not close the door entirely on his 42-year career within the health service, though, which includes being a CEO at eight different hospital trusts and being a ULHT board member for over three decades.
He has said he could be tempted to move into a non-executive director or chair role within the NHS once his full-time retirement is official.