New Wigan hospital trust chairman takes over the reins

The former non-executive director of Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has shadowed outgoing WWL chair Robert Armstrong since May.

Mr Jones, who brings expertise from a respected international and domestic career in the pharma industry to Wigan borough, has already been creating connections with WWL’s staff and services, as well as senior leaders within the Healthier Wigan Partnership.

People, organisational culture and values are said to be central to his approach to leadership, something he focused heavily on during his transitional period.

Upon taking up his new post officially on November 1, Mr Jones said: “I am extremely proud to be chair at WWL.

"It’s a real honour to be part of this wonderful hospital and community service, and I must stress how warmly I’ve been welcomed by everyone I’ve met so far, from staff, patients, the public of the Wigan borough and our partners across the local area and wider Greater Manchester region.

“The past five months shadowing Robert Armstrong has been an excellent experience for me, getting to know just how good WWL is at our part of the health system and how together our teams are creating safe and impactful outcomes for patients every single day.

“I have been impressed by the collective vision shared within the Wigan borough and it’s clear to see the pivotal role the trust plays as part of the Healthier Wigan Partnership alongside Wigan Council and Wigan Borough Clinical Commissioning Group.

“We all have a terrific responsibility to the local population, and I have already witnessed first-hand the dedication, commitment and passion our staff have for providing the best possible healthcare to our patients, especially during the most challenging times the NHS has ever faced.

“If my experience in management and leadership positions has taught me anything, it’s that for all of the ideas and knowledge I can bring to WWL, it’s equally important for me to listen to and learn from our WWL family and the public of the Wigan borough in order to make sure the trust continues to progress and do its best for anyone who accesses our services.”

WWL’s lead governor Linda Sykes said: “On behalf of the Council of Governors, we are delighted to extend a very warm welcome to our new chair Mark Jones, and very much look forward to working with him.

“The Council of Governors will continue to support Mark, the executive team and all the trust’s fantastic hard-working staff, as they continue to develop local services that will provide the best quality care, as close to home as possible, for the people of Wigan borough.”

Having worked closely with Mr Jones since he arrived at WWL in May, the trust’s chief executive Silas Nicholls said: “Mark’s passion for our patients, carers, staff and governors shone through during the recruitment process and he has shown all of those qualities since he joined us to shadow our previous chairman, Robert Armstrong.

“I am delighted to have Mark as part of our growing WWL family, he completely understands our values as an organisation and I’m sure he is going to continue to make big impact on how we operate and communicate as a trust.”

Mr Jones will address WWL’s council of Governors, WWL members and the public of the Wigan borough at the WWL annual members' meeting on Wednesday November 17, a virtual event being held between 2pm to 4pm. To register interest in attending, people can email [email protected].

Any questions for the meeting can also be sent to this email address.

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