A health chief with more than 40 years’ NHS leadership has been appointed as Chair across two Black Country Trusts.

Sir David Nicholson KCB CBE will take up his role as Chair of The Royal Wolverhampton and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trusts on April 1st, 2023. He will continue in his shared Chair role across Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust and The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust.

Sir David has held some of the most senior posts in the NHS. He was Chief Executive of the NHS for seven years from 2006-2013 and became the first Chief Executive of the organisation now known as NHS England from 2013-2014.

Since his retirement from the NHS in 2014, he has taken on various international roles providing advice and guidance to governments and organisations focused on improving population health and universal healthcare coverage.

With Professor Steve Field CBE stepping down from the role as his term came to an end, this provided an opportunity to appoint a single Chair for the Black Country and drive forward the collaborative agenda. It is hoped that, under a single chair leadership, each organisation will be better able to fulfil the shared ambition for providing high-quality care.

He said: “To take on the leadership of four Trust Boards in the Black Country is both a huge responsibility and a huge privilege.

“True collaboration is key to the future of our services to ensure that we are all on the same page when it comes to doing right by our patients and local communities. We must continue to innovate and improve to meet existing needs better and respond more appropriately to changing landscapes – and a partnership approach is the most effective way to do so.

“I have been impressed so far at the work being done through the Black Country Provider Collaborative and we need to maintain this momentum to ensure it is making enough of an impact to our service users. I look forward to playing my part in its further progression and working with those who have the passion and determination to make a meaningful difference in the Black Country.”

Sir David also thanked former Group Chair Professor Steve Field CBE for his work in Wolverhampton and Walsall.

He added: “I noted how proud Steve was of his time with the Trusts and I want to build on that as well as take this opportunity to widen collaboration between all four Black Country providers. I look forward to meeting the teams, hearing colleagues’ ideas, celebrating their hard work and helping them continue to shape and enhance our services for all.”

Sir David’s significant contribution to healthcare saw him awarded a CBE in 2008, and he was knighted by Her Majesty the Queen in 2010.

Professor David Loughton CBE, Group Chief Executive of Wolverhampton and Walsall Trusts said: “We’re delighted that someone of Sir David’s calibre will be joining us and I’m sure he will be given a warm welcome across Wolverhampton and Walsall.

“I echo his comments about the importance of collaborating at pace to bring improved outcomes that will directly benefit our patients and look forward to working with him to make this happen.”

Sir David will work with the wider leadership teams in each organisation and look to appoint deputy chairs to support him in his role. The four Trusts will remain as separate organisations while strengthening existing collaborative links and building new relationships across the Black Country.

A health chief with more than 40 years’ NHS leadership has been appointed as Chair across two Black Country Trusts.

Sir David Nicholson KCB CBE will take up his role as Chair of The Royal Wolverhampton and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trusts on April 1st, 2023. He will continue in his shared Chair role across Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust and The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust.

Sir David has held some of the most senior posts in the NHS. He was Chief Executive of the NHS for seven years from 2006-2013 and became the first Chief Executive of the organisation now known as NHS England from 2013-2014.

Since his retirement from the NHS in 2014, he has taken on various international roles providing advice and guidance to governments and organisations focused on improving population health and universal healthcare coverage.

With Professor Steve Field CBE stepping down from the role as his term came to an end, this provided an opportunity to appoint a single Chair for the Black Country and drive forward the collaborative agenda. It is hoped that, under a single chair leadership, each organisation will be better able to fulfil the shared ambition for providing high-quality care.

He said: “To take on the leadership of four Trust Boards in the Black Country is both a huge responsibility and a huge privilege.

“True collaboration is key to the future of our services to ensure that we are all on the same page when it comes to doing right by our patients and local communities. We must continue to innovate and improve to meet existing needs better and respond more appropriately to changing landscapes – and a partnership approach is the most effective way to do so.

“I have been impressed so far at the work being done through the Black Country Provider Collaborative and we need to maintain this momentum to ensure it is making enough of an impact to our service users. I look forward to playing my part in its further progression and working with those who have the passion and determination to make a meaningful difference in the Black Country.”

Sir David also thanked former Group Chair Professor Steve Field CBE for his work in Wolverhampton and Walsall.

He added: “I noted how proud Steve was of his time with the Trusts and I want to build on that as well as take this opportunity to widen collaboration between all four Black Country providers. I look forward to meeting the teams, hearing colleagues’ ideas, celebrating their hard work and helping them continue to shape and enhance our services for all.”

Sir David’s significant contribution to healthcare saw him awarded a CBE in 2008, and he was knighted by Her Majesty the Queen in 2010.

Professor David Loughton CBE, Group Chief Executive of Wolverhampton and Walsall Trusts said: “We’re delighted that someone of Sir David’s calibre will be joining us and I’m sure he will be given a warm welcome across Wolverhampton and Walsall.

“I echo his comments about the importance of collaborating at pace to bring improved outcomes that will directly benefit our patients and look forward to working with him to make this happen.”

Sir David will work with the wider leadership teams in each organisation and look to appoint deputy chairs to support him in his role. The four Trusts will remain as separate organisations while strengthening existing collaborative links and building new relationships across the Black Country.