10:39am Friday 3rd September 2010
By Thais Portilho-Shrimpton
The chief executive of Epsom and St Helier Trust, Samantha Jones, has announced she will be leaving her job at the end of December.
Mrs Jones, who has been at the Trust since 2007 and with the NHS since 1989, is leaving to join Care UK, an independent health and social care provider, as the regional director for healthcare service in the south of England.
She said: “Choosing to leave the Trust and the NHS at this time has been one of the hardest decisions I have ever taken. However, the role with Care UK is extremely exciting and will allow me to use and build on all the things I have learned from my time within the NHS.
“Importantly for me, the new role is also based closer to where I live, so I will be able to spend more time with my family, including my two 15 month old twins Leo and Ellie.”
During Mrs Jones’ time as chief executive, she has balanced the Trust’s books and has worked to secure hundreds of millions of pounds to redevelop both St Helier and Epsom hospitals.
John Davey, Trust chairman, said: “Sam will be missed by us all. She is extremely popular with the staff and volunteers, and has really turned the organisation around.
“Sam should be extremely proud of what the Trust has delivered since she joined, in particular the many improvements we have made to the care we give to our patients.”
He added: “While we – like hospitals up and down the country – face a challenging financial position over the coming years, I am pleased to say that we do it knowing that we have balanced the books for the last three years.
“Sam played a critical role in securing the Government’s approval of our plans to spend £219 million on a major redevelopment of St Helier Hospital and it will undoubtedly remain as one of her key legacies. She has also driven our plans for the Epsom site and, as a result, the Trust Board recently signed off outline plans to spend up to £70 million there.”
The chairman of the Trust is working with NHS London to find a replacement for Mrs Jones.
For more information go to www.epsom-sthelier.nhs.uk.
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