Caroline Shaw CBE is leaving QEH after leading the Trust out of ‘special measures, to take up a new role as Chief Operating Officer of the global health and wellbeing company Evergreen Life.
Caroline joined QEH as CEO in January 2019 to put in place the foundations that would ensure sustainable changes and create a culture of continuous improvement. The Trust’s CQC report and ratings published earlier this year, which saw the Trust exit ‘special measures’ and rated ‘Good’ for Caring, Well-Led and Effective, provided external endorsement of QEH’s progress.
Reflecting on her time at QEH, Caroline said: “I can honestly say that my time at QEH has been the most challenging, yet by far the most rewarding of my career to date. I could not be prouder of what Team QEH has achieved and how far we have come over the last few years. After almost four decades of service to the NHS, I now feel ready to look to my next and likely final stage of my career and I know now is the right time to end my chapter at QEH and move on to make a positive difference to people and healthcare in a different way. I am really excited that I have been asked to join a forward-thinking health and wellbeing company called Evergreen Life which is all about using digital technology to innovate NHS services and improve people’s personal healthcare and support people to stay well and healthy, which I am hugely passionate about. After over three-and-a-half memorable years, now is the right time for a new and exciting chapter in my career which will see me being based back at home in Manchester.”
“I leave with so many fond memories of my time at QEH and this organisation and local community will always have a very special place in my heart. There is strength in depth at QEH and I know the best is yet to come for Team QEH. I look forward now to watching QEH fly as an organisation as it pursues its journey to ‘Good’ and ‘Outstanding’ and I also look forward to QEH securing the new hospital it deserves.”
Graham Ward, Acting Chair at the Trust, said: “Caroline has led QEH superbly for over three-and-a-half-years and has been instrumental in putting in place the foundations that are necessary to ensure sustainable change for our patients, their families and staff.
“Among Caroline’s impressive achievements including seeing her vision for a new School of Nursing in King’s Lynn become a reality and the delivery of a £44m capital programme last year which is changing the face of QEH, including the opening of the new West Norfolk Eye Centre, Emerson (outpatient) Unit and soon our state-of-the-art Endoscopy Unit. This of course follows the successful acquisition of the Sandringham Unit. She has superbly led work that has seen the Trust develop a national reputation for research and innovation, staff engagement and wellbeing and openness and transparency. Caroline has also been at the forefront of pushing the Trust’s compelling case for a new hospital on the local, regional and national stage. Caroline’s influence and compassionate leadership has benefitted patients across Norfolk and Waveney, Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire. She has successfully led the Elective Recovery programme for Norfolk and Waveney, with impressive results. And last but by no means least, Caroline has championed and consistently role-modelled the Trust’s values of kindness, wellness and fairness and has ensured the Trust and Team QEH have had a relentless focus on the delivery of safe and compassionate care to patients and their families.
“We wish Caroline well for the future and all the best in her exciting new role.”
Alice Webster, QEH’s Chief Nurse, will be Acting CEO from 1 October 2022 with Caroline leaving the Trust at the end of September. We will soon describe the Interim Chief Nurse arrangements to backfill Alice. Recruitment for a substantive CEO will commence in the months to come, following recruitment to our substantive Chair, a process which is underway.
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