28 July 2025

The trusts that manage local community and hospital services are pleased to announce the appointment of Jo Williams as their Chief Executive in Common.

This new role will strengthen shared leadership across Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust (ShropCom) and The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).

Andrew Morgan, Chair in Common for the two trusts, said: “I am delighted Jo has been appointed into this exciting new role. This is a fantastic opportunity to accelerate the good work happening between the trusts.

“Jo brings extensive strategic and operational leadership experience with a strong track record in driving quality and performance improvement in the NHS. She has already made a positive difference in her 10 months as interim Chief Executive at SaTH and I know she has the ability, ambition, determination and compassion to drive forward excellent care for all the communities we serve.

“I would also like to thank Patricia Davies for her hard work, dedication and commitment to quality during her time as Chief Executive at ShropCom. The Board and I wish her all the very best in her exciting new role in Manchester.”

The two trusts are also continuing to explore the benefits of forming a Group model to increase integration and continue to strengthen local services. This follows a similar approach taken by many other NHS trusts across the country.

Under the proposals, the trusts would remain as separate statutory organisations, whilst seeking to appoint a shared leadership team across both organisations to oversee strategy and service delivery. Proposals are in the early stages of development and Jo, as the new shared Chief Executive, will take forward this important work.

As Ms Williams transitions into her new role at ShropCom and SaTH, the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital (ROH) in Birmingham, where she previously served as Chief Executive, will begin the process of appointing a new substantive CEO.

Matthew Hartland, who has served as Interim CEO at ROH since October 2024, will remain in post while the recruitment process is underway.

Under his leadership, the hospital has made significant progress in stabilising its finances, improving operational performance and delivering against its long-term strategic objectives.

Matthew Hartland said: “I’m proud of the progress we’ve made at ROH. We have reduced waiting times, treated more people and refined our preventative health approach. Our expert team remains committed to delivering safe, high-quality care to patients locally and nationally.”

Jo Williams said: “I am honoured to be taking on this new role. I am proud of the improvements we have made so far and excited about what we will accomplish by working together and listening to our patients, families and colleagues.

“Having managed both community and hospital services, I am passionate about bringing care closer to home, focusing on joined-up, personalised and compassionate care.

“We have amazing people in both trusts and I am looking forward to working with everyone to build a modern NHS where everyone has a voice and feels they belong.”

Further information

About Jo Williams

Jo joined the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust as Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in September 2024 on secondment from The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital (ROH) in Birmingham.

She was appointed as Chief Executive Officer at ROH in May 2019 following her successful role as Chief Operating Officer since July 2017. She has worked in a variety of senior management roles in several acute trusts including University Hospital of Birmingham (UHB), Wythenshawe Hospital (UHSM) and Chesterfield Royal Hospital (CRH) delivering operational performance, leading service transformation and patient care improvement projects.

Jo has experience in leading community and hospital services, including managing community paediatric services and CAMHS, community midwifery and as a former Associate Director of Operations for Unscheduled Care oversaw complex health and social care – incorporating community services.

As well as 24 years in the NHS, she also worked in procurement in the NHS, as a capital buyer for Nuffield Hospitals commissioning The Manor Hospital in Oxford, and nine years as a buyer supplying the manufacturing industry.

Jo is passionate about building an inclusive organisational culture where everyone can be themselves and flourish to achieve their full potential putting good staff health, wellbeing, and engagement at the heart of organisations.

For her work at The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham, she was awarded “CEO of the Year Award” at the Inclusive Awards 2024. She has a relentless drive to put patients, families and the people who work in the NHS at the heart of everything she does and in recent years, her leadership style and experience has led to her to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate at Aston University and Birmingham City University, which she proudly continues to support and champion.

About the Group

Jo Williams will take on the role as Chief Executive in Common on 1 September 2025. Patricia Davies announced she was leaving ShropCom in April 2025, following her appointment as Chief Executive of the Manchester and Trafford Local Care Organisations (LCOs) and the University Dental Hospital of Manchester (UDHM). Patricia’s last day as Chief Executive of ShropCom will be the 31 August 2025.

ShropCom and SaTH will remain as separate statutory bodies led by a shared Chair in Common and Chief Executive. Different NHS organisations take different approaches to shared leadership, as a result there is no single group model or legal definition.

Groups tend to have a centralised leadership whose role is to set strategy and oversee governance, standards and procedures for organisations in the group. They are an opportunity to share priorities, learning and offer greater value for money for taxpayers.

Any trusts who seek to become a Group will need to complete an assurance process with NHS England.