The new CEO of the Queen’s and King George hospitals has been announced by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT).
Matthew Trainer will join the trust in August, after leaving his role at Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. He will take over from the interim CEO, Tony Chambers, who joined the trust last year.
Chair at BHRUT, Mike Bell, said: “I am delighted Matthew will be our permanent CEO. He will arrive at a critical time in our development as we recover from COVID-19, reduce our waiting lists, and develop both our closer collaboration with Barts Health and our place-based health and care partnerships with our boroughs.
“Matthew is a successful leader with a wealth of experience in senior roles, who has built and sustained partnerships that are delivering improved services.”
Trainer has held the role of CEO at Oxleas for the past three years, and recently worked across various NHS organisations, including King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the Princess Royal University Hospital in Bromley, where he acted as Managing Director for the hospital.
Trainer said of his appointment: “I am looking forward to meeting colleagues at Queen’s and King George hospitals to find out how we can work together to deliver the best possible care for the residents of Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge.”
“Everyone I’ve talked to at the trust has spoken with pride about the huge efforts the team has gone to during the pandemic, first to save lives and now to tackle waiting lists. We need to build on these achievements, with the help of our local partners, in the years ahead.”
At Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Ify Okocha will assume the role of Interim CEO after working as the trust’s Medical Director for the past 12 years
Dr Okocha said: “I am delighted to be taking on this role and am looking forward to working with colleagues across Oxleas and south east London. We have an exciting new strategy for Oxleas which we are all looking forward to putting into action.”
Andy Trotter, Chair of Oxleas, expressed his gratitude to Trainer: “Matthew has been an outstanding Chief Executive and we wish him well in his new role. His passionate commitment to patient care and the wellbeing of staff has been a vital part of the way this organisation has risen to the challenges created by COVID. I am confident that Ify and our strong Executive Team will continue to build on this.”
