A MAN who resigned from his previous role as chief executive of a health trust due to its worsening financial position has been appointed to head up Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.
Matthew Hopkins, described as “a highly experienced NHS leader with a strong track record of delivering significant improvements in quality and safety of patient care’ by WAHT’s chairman Sir David Nicholson, takes over the reins in January.
He replaces Michelle McKay as chief executive after she announced in August she was returning to Australia after 21 months in the top job.
Mr Hopkins stepped down from his post at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals earlier this year, in response to their worsening financial performance.
He said: “As chief executive it was right that I accepted accountability for the situation – and the lessons learned will be valuable in shaping my approach to helping Worcestershire Acute plan and deliver a robust financial plan for the future.”
Sir David added: “The circumstances leading to Matthew’s decision to leave his previous role were well known to me before he was invited for interview.
“His willingness to accept accountability, his attitude and his determination to learn from these setbacks helped to confirm to me that has the insight, commitment and resilience to provide the leadership that our hospitals need.
“I have every confidence that he is the right person for what we all recognise will be an extremely challenging and rewarding, role with us.”
He described Mr Hopkins as a highly experienced NHS leader with a strong track record of delivering significant improvements in quality and safety of patient care who can empower and engage staff and build strong partnerships across health and care systems.
“His dynamic leadership has transformed a number of Trusts facing very similar challenges to those we face,” he said.
“He emerged as the clear favourite after a rigorous selection process and I have no doubt that he will build on the progress we have made and bring extra focus and momentum to our efforts to improve patient care.”
Matthew Hopkins joined the NHS as a nurse before moving into health management, taking on senior roles in a number of large NHS organisations in London.
He has been chief executive of two large acute trusts – Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and, most recently, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals which he successfully led out of quality special measures in 2017.
Mr Hopkins said: “I am delighted to be joining Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. The Trust faces a number of challenges, and it is clear to me that it also has a huge amount of potential and dedicated hard-working people.
“The Trust, under the leadership of Michelle McKay, has clearly made real progress in building a more positive culture.
“I am looking forward to working with my new colleagues to involve our patients, our staff and our partners in driving further rapid improvement in our services.”
