The hospitals trust in charge of the Royal Lancaster Infirmary has appointed a new Chief Medical Officer.
Dr Helen Skinner has taken over the role at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT).
Helen joins UHMBT from North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, where she was Medical Director for Operational Delivery and a Stroke Consultant from August 2023 to the present.
She also holds a national role as Clinical Advisor for Geriatric Medicine with the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme.
Helen previously served as Chief Medical Officer for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board and spent more than five years in Christchurch, New Zealand, holding a range of senior leadership positions including Chief of Service, General Manager, and Chief Medical Officer for Canterbury District Health Board.
In addition to her leadership responsibilities at UHMBT, Helen will also be regularly working clinically in the trust's hospitals, giving valuable insight into frontline care and the day-to-day experiences of patients and colleagues.
“Helen’s clinical and leadership experience - both locally, nationally and internationally - will be a tremendous asset to us all and it will be a hugely beneficial that she will continue to undertake clinical work as part of her role," said Aaron Cummins, chief executive at UHMBT.
"It will give us a real insight into the pressures and priorities our teams face."
Helen’s appointment follows the announcement that Miss Jane McNicholas, the trust's current Chief Medical Officer, will leave the trust at the end of April 2025.
Dr Caroline Brock, Deputy Medical Director and Consultant in Emergency Medicine, will support the trust as Interim Chief Medical Officer through this transition period until Helen joins on August 4.
Mr Cummins said: “I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Jane for her hard work, dedication, and leadership over the past few years. Jane has made a significant impact during her time with us, and we wish her every success in her new role closer to home in Sheffield.”
The trust runs three main hospitals, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Furness General in Barrow and Westmorland General in Kendal, as well as the Queen Victoria Hospital healthcare centre in Morecambe.
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