Siobhan Harrington has been appointed as chief executive of University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust and will take up her role on 1 June 2022. Siobhan will succeed Debbie Fleming, who announced in September this year that she would be retiring from the NHS on 31 March 2022.

Siobhan is an experienced director in the NHS and has been chief executive of Whittington Health NHS Trust in London since 2017.

David Moss, chairman of UHD said: “We are delighted that Siobhan will join our Trust as chief executive at this exciting time in our development. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with her that will help us to work with partners to care for our population, realise our transformation ambitions and ensure that we will play a significant role in the Dorset Integrated Care System.

“I would also like to thank Debbie Fleming for her significant contribution to our trust as the first chief executive of University Hospitals Dorset which was formed in October 2020. She has been a phenomenal leader, helping to drive the merger of Poole Hospital with the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals and the £250m transformation of our estate. She has also led our hospitals during the Covid-19 outbreak.”

Commenting on the announcement, Siobhan Harrington, said: “This is an exciting time for UHD. I am looking forward to being part of Team UHD and leading the organisation through this next phase – building on the past, continuing to provide excellent patient care and as an integral partner in the Dorset integrated care system.”

Siobhan Harrington began her career in nursing posts in London, working at St Thomas’s and Royal Free Hospitals. After programme management roles including at regional level, Siobhan in 2004 was appointed director of Primary Care Commissioning and lead nurse at Haringey PCT. She joined Whittington Hospital NHS Trust in 2006 and since joining the trust has moved through roles including director of primary care, acting director of nursing, director of strategy and deputy chief executive. She spent two years as programme director for the Barnet Enfield Haringey clinical strategy, and in 2017 was appointed chief executive of Whittington Health NHS Trust.