Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundations Trust (WWL) is pleased to announce that Professor Dame Robina Shah has been appointed to be its next Chair.
Following a meeting of the Council of Governors Dame Robina will follow Mark Jones, who retired as Chair from the Trust earlier this year, and will replace Acting Chair, Francine Thorpe, who will step back to being the Deputy Trust Chair and a Non-Executive Director. She will take up her new role as Chair of the Trust on 1st December 2025, for an initial three-year term of office.
A Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Greater Manchester, Dame Robina brings great experience to the Trust, including a period as Chair of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust and more recently as a Non-Executive Director and Acting Chair at Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust.
Dame Robina brings a clinical background to the role, as a Chartered Consultant Psychologist, and is currently a Professor of Medical Education and Psychosocial Medicine at Manchester University Medical School. She is the past President of the Council Section Medicine and Society of the Royal Society of Medicine, and an Honorary Fellow of both the Royal College of General Practitioners, and the Royal Society of Medicine.
Commenting on her appointment, Dame Robina said: “I am truly honoured to be appointed as the Chair of WWL and would like to thank the Council of Governors for placing their confidence in me. WWL stands at the heart of its community, and the strong partnership with Wigan Council, the Integrated Care Board and Healthier Wigan Partnership is something I greatly admire. As an anchor organisation, WWL shows what can be achieved when we work with shared purpose and compassion for the population we serve. Along with the engagement of our wider community, this reflects the very best of the NHS. I look forward to working with the Board, Governors and colleagues across the organisation to build on these strong foundations, ensuring that the people of Wigan and the Boroughs receive the very best care, in hospital when needed, and as close to home whenever possible.”
Mary Fleming, WWL’s Chief Executive, said: “Alongside the Trust Board, and the wider organisation, I am looking forward to welcoming Dame Robina as our new Trust Chair and to working with her to further develop our work with our partners to serve our communities. I have no doubt that she will be a huge success, using her wide-ranging skills and experience to help to move the Trust forward and progress on our journey to outstanding.”
WWL’s Lead Governor, Andy Savage, added: “The Council of Governors are delighted to have been able to appoint Dame Robina as our new Chair, and have every confidence that she will show exemplary leadership of the Board. We would also like to express our sincere thanks to Francine Thorpe, who seamlessly stepped into being the Acting Chair between Mark Jones’ retirement and Dame Robina starting, and has shown the full range of her leadership skills in doing so. We are looking forward to working together to address the opportunities and challenges that await us as the NHS undertakes substantial and far-reaching change under the NHS 10-year plan and how we can further address health inequalities within our local communities.”
Dame Robina is expected to take the Chair for the meeting of the Board of Directors in public to be held on Wednesday, 3rd December 2025