THE man in charge of the trust overseeing The Royal Oldham Hospital has announced he will step down later this year.
Owen Williams, chief executive of the Northern Care Alliance (NCA) NHS Foundation Trust, will leave his role in September after nearly four years at the helm.
Since joining in November 2021, he has overseen a period of significant change across the trust, which runs hospitals and community services across Oldham, Salford, Bury and Rochdale.
The trust says his tenure has included efforts to improve services, steady finances and reshape how care is delivered across the organisation, while also introducing the ‘Care, Appreciate and Inspire’ values.
Tributes to his leadership have been paid by trust chair Sheena McDonnell, who highlighted his hands-on approach.
She said: “Being visible, accessible and listening to colleagues and patients has always been important to Owen. He has spent a great deal of time across our hospitals and community services, in corridors and on wards, talking with colleagues, patients and visitors and taking the time to listen to their experiences.
“His commitment to improvement is already making a positive difference for patients and services. I would like to thank Owen for the contribution he has made to the NCA and for the care, commitment and leadership he has shown during his time as Chief Executive Officer.”
Reflecting on his time in charge, Williams said the role had been a privilege, pointing to the people he worked alongside as the lasting highlight.
He said: “It has been a huge privilege to lead the NCA. While I am proud of the progress we have made, it is the everyday moments – meeting frontline colleagues, partners, speaking with patients and families, and seeing the dedication and compassion shown across our services – that I will remember and treasure the most.
“I know that my departure won’t hold the NCA back from looking ahead to the next phase of the improvement journey. The NCA’s wider leadership team are all focussed on bringing the best possible care and services for the communities we serve and I know the 20,000-strong team of caring and inspirational people working with them can more than rise to the challenge of delivering this.”
The trust says further details about his successor will be announced in the coming weeks.