THE chief executive of Gobowen's Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt (RJAH) Hospital will his role in August to take on a new role in the county's health services in August.

Mark Brandreth – who only recently returned to the orthopaedic hospital following secondment to the government's Covid-19 response – has been appointed to lead the development of integrated health services in Shropshire Telford & Wrekin (STW).

The experienced leader has come through a “rigorous and competitive” recruitment process to be named interim accountable officer for the STW Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Alongside that post, which he will take on from Monday, August 2, he will continue as executive lead for the STW Integrated Care System (ICS).

“I am delighted to have been appointed to this joint role leading the ICS and the CCG here in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin,” said Mr Brandreth.

“Working closely with colleagues in recent months, I have seen the passion and the desire to do things differently so that we can improve health outcomes and health inequalities for all of our population.

“I look forward to working with our outstanding teams to ensure we deliver world class health and care services for everyone within our borders.

“It has been a great honour to be the chief executive of RJAH and it is not an easy decision to move on.

"I am very proud of what the staff have achieved over my time here – I am very proud of the care we provide to patients.”

Sir Neil McKay, independent chairman of the STW ICS, said: “Mark has been appointed following a rigorous and competitive recruitment process, where he showed himself to be the outstanding candidate.

“He is an experienced and inclusive leader who knows our system inside out – both its strengths and its challenges.

"I am delighted that he will be at the helm to guide us through these critical few months ahead as we move towards the ICS becoming a new statutory body from April 2022.”

Stacey Keegan, who was acting chief executive during his absence, will once resume the role from August 2.

Frank Collins, chairman of RJAH, said: “I must also offer my congratulations to Mark, who deserves this opportunity.

“He has been at RJAH for more than five years now, and, as we all know, has made a huge impact in that time – both at RJAH and, more recently, in the development of our ICS.

"His new role is a natural extension of that work.

“(Stacey) did a terrific job then and I am delighted that she has agreed to take on the acting role again. I know that we are in safe hands.”