The West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust has appointed John Parkes as its new Chief Executive

28th November, 2001

Currently the Director of Operations and Deputy Chief Executive at St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust, a teaching hospital in south London, John, who is 43, will be taking up his post at the end of February.

“I am delighted that John has accepted our offer to lead the trust,” said chairman Veronica Worrall. “He comes to us with a wealth of operational and strategic experience and is particularly interested in developing our educational links with the University of Cambridge alongside the vital role that we play in the west Suffolk community.”

John was one of four short listed candidates who applied for the job and underwent a two day long interview process. He will be leading a trust with an annual income of £75 million and 2,600 staff who serve a population of 280,000 people.

“I am very much looking forward to taking up my post at the West Suffolk,” said John who is married and lives in Fulham with his wife, Judith.  “I know that the trust has an excellent standing in the community and I am very much looking forward to working in partnership with our staff, GPs and other key individuals so that we can continue improving services for the benefit of our patients.

“My wife and I are both looking forward to relocating and as an important principle I will want to live within the Bury St Edmunds area.”

John has been in his present post for two years. Prior to that he worked at Guys and St Thomas’ Hospitals NHS Trust for six years overseeing the merging of the two famous London teaching hospitals and the reconfiguration of their services.

He succeeds Johanna Finn who left the trust in October to pursue her interests in strategy and development after eight years as Chief Executive.