Queen Victoria Hospital confirms new leadership arrangements for next stage of strategic partnership

Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (QVH) has confirmed the leadership arrangements that will take its strategic partnership with the Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (ASPH) and Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust (RSFT) group into its next stage.

The new leadership arrangements will come into effect in stages during October, as the existing Group leadership at ASPH and RSFT extends to include QVH. Joss Bigmore, currently Group Chair of the two trusts, will also become Chair of QVH from 5 October, extending his Group Chair role across all three trusts. Louise Stead, currently Group Chief Executive Officer, will take on executive leadership of QVH from 12 October, extending her Group Chief Executive Officer role across the three trusts.

The new arrangements mark the next step in bringing the partnership into practice, with the three trusts working more closely together to share expertise, strengthen clinical and professional networks, create learning and development opportunities for staff and identify opportunities to improve patient care and services, while each remains an independent NHS Foundation Trust.

At QVH, Angela McNab, currently Interim Chair, will become Deputy Chair and Non-Executive Director on the QVH Board from 5 October. Alongside the shared Group leadership, Tamara Everington will continue to provide dedicated day-to-day leadership as Managing Director of QVH. Tamara took up the role on 14 September, having served as the Trust’s Chief Medical Officer since October 2024, providing important continuity and familiarity with the organisation.

QVH is a leading specialist centre for reconstruction and sleep, with specialist expertise and services supporting patients locally, regionally and nationally. Bringing QVH’s strengths together with the complementary expertise of ASPH and RSFT creates opportunities to strengthen clinical networks, share learning and support research, education, innovation and improved patient pathways.

Joss Bigmore, incoming Group Chair, said: “This is an important step in bringing our partnership to life. QVH brings distinctive expertise, innovation and a strong identity to the partnership, and I am looking forward to working with colleagues and Governors as we build on those strengths.

“Each of our three trusts has an important role in the communities it serves. By working more closely together while retaining that local focus and accountability, we have a real opportunity to make our organisations stronger and deliver even greater benefits for patients.”

Louise Stead, incoming Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “I’m delighted to be taking on the role of Group Chief Executive across QVH, Royal Surrey and Ashford and St Peter’s.

“QVH is a very special organisation with an exceptional clinical reputation, a proud history and expertise that benefits patients far beyond its East Grinstead site. Our ambition is to build on the individual strengths of all three trusts, learning from one another and identifying where working together can improve care, strengthen services and create new opportunities for our people. I’m very much looking forward to working with Tamara and colleagues across QVH as we begin this next chapter together.”

The appointments follow the Boards of all three trusts approving the expansion of the existing ASPH and RSFT group to include QVH in July 2026, after more than seven months of collaborative planning, analysis and assurance work.

QVH remains an independent NHS Foundation Trust, with its own Board, Council of Governors, statutory responsibilities and local accountability. The new arrangements combine dedicated leadership at QVH with shared leadership and closer collaboration across the three trusts.

The focus will now increasingly move from establishing the partnership to making it work in practice. This will include exploring opportunities to share expertise and learning, strengthen clinical and professional networks, create opportunities for colleagues and deliver benefits for patients and services.

Tamara Everington, Managing Director of Queen Victoria Hospital, said: “It is a real privilege to take on the role of Managing Director at such an important point in QVH’s journey. Having been Chief Medical Officer here since October 2024, I have seen first-hand the expertise and commitment of our people and the outstanding care they provide to patients. That knowledge and continuity will be important as we enter this next phase. We have much to learn from one another, and QVH also has a great deal of expertise to contribute.”

Angela McNab, Interim Chair of Queen Victoria Hospital, said: “This is another significant milestone for QVH, giving us dedicated leadership here at the Trust alongside strong shared leadership across the partnership. It has been a real privilege to serve as Interim Chair and I am delighted to be continuing as Deputy Chair. I have enormous admiration for QVH, its people and its unique role within the NHS, and I look forward to helping ensure those strengths and QVH’s distinctive identity remain at the heart of the partnership as it develops.”

For media enquiries relating to Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, please contact the trust corporate affairs team on 01342 414508 or qvh.communications@nhs.net

Pictured above, clockwise: Joss Bigmore, Group Chair; Louise Stead, Group Chief Executive Officer; Angela McNab, current Interim Chair at QVH; and Tamara Everington, Managing Director of QVH.