Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has announced that its chair Jeremy Vanes is set to step down from his role at the end of November.
The news follows reports of distrust among staff and concerns surrounding the leadership.
The trust says it is currently undergoing a journey of change and transformation to deliver organisation-wide reforms.
Long-term change
“Successful delivery of this change will require long-term, sustained commitment,” said Vanes. “I have reflected on my role and concluded it would be better for the organisation for me to leave as this improvement journey begins rather than midway through.”
He added: “It has been my privilege to have served the patients and people of the Black Country alongside such hardworking, talented, and caring staff.
“I want to thank you all for what you do day in day out making a difference to the lives of people who turn to the NHS in times of their greatest need.”
Major merger
Black Country Healthcare’s CEO, Marsha Foster, said: “Jeremy is an incredibly passionate and dedicated leader, who has worked tirelessly advocating for the needs of the Black Country population.”
“Hugely experienced, he has been insightful and supportive not just to me but to the whole Board and wider staff community. We wish him all the best in his next chapter.”
Vanes led the trust through its very creation, when the merger between the old Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust was ratified by NHS England in April 2020.
The trust has said that the process to finalise interim arrangements is underway, while work for a more permanent replacement will commence in due course.
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