Interim Chief Executive Paula Clark takes up her post at SaTH

1 July 2019

Interim Chief Executive Paula Clark today took up her post at the trust which runs Shropshire’s two acute hospitals.

Paula is the former Chief Executive at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM).

She joined UHNM in October 2016, having previously been Chief Executive of the Dudley Group Foundation Trust and before that Burton Hospitals Foundation Trust.

Paula said: “I’m really delighted to be joining The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) today as Interim Chief Executive.

“I’ve been working in the NHS in the West Midlands since 2005. I do, therefore, understand the challenges facing our Trust and other healthcare providers across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales. These are similar to those facing the NHS nationally, but for rural trusts such as ours they are even more acute.

“I recognise that this is a time of further change, and this is not easy for the teams out in the organisation who continue to care for patients each and every day.

“As an interim appointment, it means that I’m not going to be with the Trust in the long-term. However, even though I won’t be with the Trust for a long time, I’m committed to working with everyone to ensure that we develop a plan for a better winter performance. In addition, I will be working with my new executive team colleagues to tackle many of the long-standing issues that face all of our teams.

“I want to make sure I spend as much time as I can out with the teams to hear first-hand what they have got to say and what they think needs to be done to make things better. As the people delivering and supporting services, they are best placed to help with that endeavour, so I want them to be open and honest with me.

“I also want to know what they are really proud of so we can make sure we get a balanced view.”