An experienced NHS leader who has overseen major developments at Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) has been appointed to the Board of one of the largest NHS trusts in the country.
Vanessa Gardener, currently Chief Executive of MRI, will take up the new post of Group Chief Delivery Officer for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) which runs 10 hospitals and two local community organisations. MRI is one of the hospitals which MFT is responsible for.
Mark Cubbon, Group Chief Executive of MFT, said: “We are delighted to be appointing Vanessa to this new Board role after a competitive recruitment process which attracted some very strong candidates. Vanessa is joining the Board at a time of great challenges for the NHS as well as great opportunities to further improve the quality of care which we offer to our patients while tackling health inequalities among the communities we serve in Manchester, Trafford and beyond. We’re all looking forward to working with her in her new role with MFT.”
Vanessa has spent nearly 30 years in the NHS in a wide variety of senior positions in the NHS including the role of Chief Operating Officer for University Hospital of North Staffordshire. She became Chief Transformation Officer for Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in 2014, and then, after the merger to create MFT, the Chief Executive of MRI in 2019.
Vanessa said: “I am passionate about transforming services across MFT and Greater Manchester to give our patients the best possible care. Everything we achieve is through teamwork and I’ll always go the extra mile for both our patients and our dedicated and committed staff.”