Executive directors

Appointed: August 2021
Appointed Chief Executive: June 2022

Ged joined the trust in August 2021 as the Director of Finance before becoming Acting Chief Executive in December 2021.

Ged has substantial experience in senior executive roles across a number of sectors, including NHS and local authority and emergency services. He has also held a number of director roles in public sector subsidiary companies, held a number of regional roles and acted as a national government adviser. Ged is committed to ensuring staff and team development are maximised to support good patient care. He is a passionate supporter of public services and the role they play in society.

Ged is the chair or a member of the following committees or groups on behalf of ECT:

Chair: Clinical Leadership Board

Member of: Trust Board, Partnership Forum, Cheshire A&E Delivery Board, Cheshire and Merseyside CEO Provider Group, Greater Manchester Provider Federation Board, Cheshire East ICP Board, Local Negotiating Committee.

Trustee and Member of: Charitable Funds Committee (ECHO)

Qualifications: PG Dip Public Service Leadership, CIPFA Chartered Public Finance Accountant, DMS Diploma in Management studies, NHS Leadership Academy Award in Executive Healthcare Leadership.

Appointed: May 2011 

Appointed Deputy Chief Executive: December 2021

Rachael joined the NHS in 1987 and has worked in a variety of national, regional and local roles over the years including at the Department of Health and the Strategic Health Authority before joining the Trust in 2011.

Rachael has a substantive track record of delivery in transformation and transition and a wealth of experience in both workforce strategy and organisational development.

She is passionate about East Cheshire NHS Trust being a brilliant place to work and a place for people to develop their careers alongside creating a working environment that enables us to deliver the outstanding healthcare our patients deserve.

Executive Lead: For the delivery of the Trust’s people management strategy, including: education and learning, organisational development, staff wellbeing, inclusion and engagement. Executive lead for the Remuneration and Nomination Committee and Partnership Forum.

Member of: Trust Board, Finance, Performance and Workforce, Local Negotiating Committee and Clinical Leadership Board.  Cheshire and Merseyside Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Community Provider Collaborative

Trustee and Member of: East Cheshire NHS Trust Charitable Fund

Other interests: Fellow of Chartered Institute of Personnel Directors and CQC Executive Reviewer. Governor Macclesfield College

Qualifications: BA (Hons) Education and Nursing, MA Health Services and Management, both from the University of Manchester

Appointed: Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development May 2011. Title changed to Director of People and Culture May 2021

Appointed Deputy Chief Executive: December 2021

Appointed: May 2015
Appointed Deputy Chief Executive: December 2021

John joined the trust in September 2000 as a consultant in anaesthetics with a special interest in critical care and was appointed as Interim Medical Director in November 2014, before being appointed to the role permanently in May 2015. John is leading the development of the trust’s clinical strategy and is building collaborative partnerships with clinical leads in primary, community and secondary care settings, supporting and developing new models of care.

Executive Lead: Organ Donation, Mortality, Research and Clinical Governance.

Chair: Human Tissue Authority Governance Sub-committee, Mortality Sub-committee.

Member of: Trust Board, Finance, Performance and Workforce, Safety and Quality standards, Clinical Leadership Board, Organ Donation, Serious Incident Requiring Investigation and Local Negotiating Committee.

Trustee and Member of: Charitable Funds Committee (ECHO)

Other Interests: Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, Member of Intensive Care Society

Appointed: July 2021

Kate has over 25 years experience as a registered nurse and began her career in 1997 as an Emergency Department nurse before becoming a Matron in 2007. Kate has undertaken a variety of senior nursing roles at both Salford Royal and Royal Bolton Hospitals before becoming Deputy Director of Nursing at Mid-Cheshire NHS Foundation Trust in 2016.

In 2020 Kate was seconded to NHS England in Cheshire and Mersey in a commissioning role leading on the Learning Disabilities and Autism programme.

Executive Lead: Safeguarding, Infection, Prevention and Control, Board Level Maternity Champion.

Chair: Quality and Professional forum, Infection, Prevention and Control Committee, Safeguarding Committee.

Member of: Trust Board, Finance, Performance and Workforce, Safety and Quality standards, Local Negotiating Committee, Serious Incident Requiring Investigation.

Trustee and Member of: Charitable Funds Committee (ECHO).

Other interests: Kate is passionate about supporting and developing the workforce and improving patient experience through service development and co-production.

Qualifications: RGN, BSc in Nursing, MSc in Leadership in Health and Social Care.

Appointed: August 2022

Kara joined the trust in November 2008 and became the Interim Deputy Director of Finance in May 2017. She was appointed Deputy Director of Finance in December 2017. Kara was appointed the trust’s Acting Director of Finance, Planning and Estates in December 2021.

She was appointed substantively to the post of Director of Finance, Planning and Estates in August 2022 following a full external recruitment process.

Prior to this, she held a number of senior finance positions within the private and public sector.

Kara continually seeks ways to develop teams and individuals to be their best to support good patient care.

Chair: Productivity and Innovation Board, Capital and Space Planning Group, Data Quality Assurance Group.

Member of: Trust Board, Finance, Performance and Workforce Committee, Local Negotiating Committee and Partnership Forum.

Trustee and Member of: Charitable Funds Committee (ECHO).

Other interests: Kara chairs the National Level Three Accounts Assistant Apprenticeship Standards Group and is passionate about supporting education and development.

Qualifications: Masters in Business Administration, Manchester Metropolitan University, ACMA (Association Chartered Management Accountants).

Appointed: December 2021

Katherine joined the trust in December 2021 in the newly created role of Executive Director of Transformation and Partnerships. Katherine leads on developing the trust’s Strategic Plan, creating and strengthening partnerships which will improve health and strengthen service delivery and overseeing the digital agenda.

Executive Lead: Trust Strategy and Digital Transformation.

Member of: Trust Board, Finance, Performance and Workforce Committee, Safety and Quality Standards Committee and Local Negotiating Committee.

Trustee and Member of: Charitable Funds Committee (ECHO).

Other interests: Katherine is the trust’s representative on the Cheshire and Merseyside Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Community Service Provider Collaborative.

Qualifications: BA (Hons) Combined Arts University of Liverpool