Whittington Health Chief Executive to step down in September

Steve Hitchins, Chair of Whittington Health said:

“Simon joined the Whittington on 1 April 2014 for six months ‘maximum’ as an interim but we all persuaded him to stay for 42 months, during which time the Trust has made significant advances in almost every area. He will be a hard act to follow and we owe him a great deal. In his three and a half years here Simon has laid strong and durable foundations for our Integrated Care Trust in the challenging times the NHS faces today.”

 

Simon Pleydell, Chief Executive of Whittington Health said:

“I arrived at Whittington Health in April 2014 to provide leadership of the trust whilst the new chief executive and leadership team was appointed. This was supposed to be for a limited time, a matter of a number of months.

 

I decided to stay on permanently because I was impressed by the values and dedication of the staff, the tremendous potential and challenge of making further steps in terms of the delivery of integrated healthcare services and the importance of creating some badly needed leadership stability for colleagues in the trust.

 

However, after over 3 years of trying to split my life between working in London and my home and family in the north and also twenty years as a trust chief executive in the NHS, I have decided to step down from my leadership role at Whittington Health and return to my home in the north. Although this may be seen as retirement, I have a number of part time opportunities open to me in the NHS which I am looking forward to and will give me an improved balance to my life.

 

I will continue to give my role and the organisation my full energy and commitment until it is time to handover to the new chief executive, potentially in September.

 

My conviction about the importance of what we are trying to do for the communities in Islington and Haringey remains undiminished. It is now the right time for the organisation to pursue this endeavour with a leader who can see this through over the next strategic period.

Leading Whittington Health has been a great privilege. it has been a great opportunity to work with so many committed and hard-working colleagues and to participate in and support what is a very special and unique culture here at Whittington Health. I have been very proud to do so and thank all my colleagues for their help in all that we have achieved over the last 3 years.”

 

Jim Mackey Chief Executive at NHS Improvement said:

"I’ve known, and worked alongside Simon in various guises, over many years. Throughout this time, Simon has been nothing short of an outstanding, professional and honourable colleague, and NHS leader. He epitomises NHS values every day, and understands how clinical minds and services work, as well as anyone I have ever worked with.

 

He is one of those leaders who cares deeply about his staff, and the patients they look after, along with that organisation’s role in the locality.

He will be greatly missed, but like all good NHS people, I am sure he will continue to contribute to and shape the NHS in some form or another. I wish him a long, happy, healthy (and busy) retirement."