Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mary Fleming as the Trust’s new permanent Chief Executive and she will assume this role with immediate effect.
Mary’s appointment comes after a rigorous recruitment process, which involved internal and external stakeholders as well as a formal panel interview which included representatives from NHS England and NHS Greater Manchester as well as an independent Chief Executive advisor.
Mary brings a vast amount of experience to the role, having held a number of NHS senior leadership roles over the years and she is a compassionate and inclusive leader who will take WWL from strength to strength.
After spending the first part of her career in the private sector, Mary joined the NHS as an Admin Clerk in Radiology 27 years ago before taking on various roles in trusts across Greater Manchester and Yorkshire. She joined WWL in 2008 and quickly progressed from an Operational Lead within the Division of Surgery to a Divisional Manager, before being appointed as Deputy Director of Operations and Performance. Mary became a member of the Board of Directors in 2016 when she was appointed as Chief Operating Officer, and she was appointed to the Deputy Chief Executive role in 2021.
Speaking on the appointment, Mary said: “I am absolutely honored and thrilled to have been appointed as the new Chief Executive at WWL.
“I remain as passionate about the NHS today as the day I first started, with much of my inspiration for delivering quality care coming from my mother who was an NHS Nurse. She was incredibly proud of my achievements, and I was terribly proud of her. I am sure she would be as proud as I am of my leadership journey from Admin Clerk to Chief Executive.
“I care deeply about WWL and the community of the Wigan Borough that I have such a strong connection with. It is not only a huge privilege, but also a source of pride to lead what I believe is one of the best organisations in the country to work for. I have a long connection with WWL and a real passion for everything we have built together over the years, especially the reputation the organisation has for improving the safety and quality of care provided to patients through investment in its people. Engaging and empowering staff to deliver kind, compassionate care using continuous improvement to keep moving forwards is central to the culture of the organisation.
“I am very much looking forward to continuing to build on all of the hard work that we have done as a Trust, along with our partners to enable us to continue to provide the first-class services that our patients and local community deserve.”
Mark Jones, Chair at WWL also spoke on Mary’s appointment, commenting: “On behalf of the Board, I am delighted to be able to confirm the appointment of Mary as WWL’s new Chief Executive.
“Mary brings a vast amount of experience to the role having held a number of NHS senior leadership roles over the years and is a compassionate and inclusive leader who will take the Trust forward.
“Mary’s career progression, not only here at WWL but also through her 27 years within the NHS is a shining example of the amazing opportunities available to all our colleagues at WWL and those who may join us in the future.
“As our new CEO, Mary will play a pivotal role in helping us to deliver the excellent standard of healthcare that our local residents rightly expect and deserve, whilst also continuing the excellent work we have done, working closely with our health and social care partners, and continue to do in our locality as an anchor institution.
“Mary is a strong advocate for visible and compassionate leadership and has herself demonstrated this time and time again through leading our Staff Engagement programme and embracing our commitment to inclusion and continuous improvement throughout the Trust.
“I look forward to working with Mary on delivering on the exciting developments taking place across WWL which will help us go from strength to strength as a Trust.”