The family of the former Chief Executive and Chair of Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) officially opened a new unit in his name at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary (RAEI), Wigan.
A special event was held as members of Andrew’s family unveiled a commemorative plaque at the Andrew Foster Endoscopy Unit, in front of gathered guests, staff from the unit, and Wigan MP, Lisa Nandy.
Andrew Foster served as Chief Executive of WWL from January 2007 until 2019 and was instrumental in the Trust gaining Foundation Trust status in December 2008. He also served as Chairman from 1996 to 2001.
Andrew made such a significant contribution, not just to WWL, but to the wider Wigan Borough, Greater Manchester and beyond. His principal focus was on quality and staff engagement, with a particular desire to learn from the best hospitals in the world and under his leadership, WWL developed a significant reputation, winning many national awards including Provider Trust of the Year in 2014. Andrew was a great advocate for engaging with staff and created a culture of openness, honesty and transparency at WWL, a legacy which lives on at the Trust to this day.
WWL Chief Executive, Mary Fleming, spoke about her time working with Andrew and how passionate he was about having these services to best serve the people of the Wigan Borough: “Today is a very proud day for WWL. This unit carries Andrew’s name, but it also carries his spirit, his values and his belief that the people of Wigan deserve the very best care we can give and having his family with us on this very special day makes this complete.
“For the people who work here, the building represents far more than bricks, equipment and clinical rooms. It represents Andrew’s determination, his kindness and absolute refusal to settle for ‘just good enough’. He knew how many lives could be changed by early diagnosis, quicker access and better facilities and today, I am so proud we have delivered what he fought so hard for.
“Naming this unit after Andrew is a privilege, and an emotional moment. He was a boss, a leader, a mentor, a confidant, a friend and we miss him. His influence on the Trust is woven into our culture, our decisions and our ambitions. My only sadness is that he isn’t here to see this moment for himself. This new unit is a place that will change lives, honour his legacy and continue the work that he cared so deeply about.”
Speaking on behalf of her family, including daughters, Grace and Anna, and son, Thomas, Sara Foster added: “Andrew really, really cared about Wigan, Wigan Hospitals and the NHS. Thank you for honoring him in this way, we’re so proud. We miss him terribly, but this is a wonderful recognition of his legacy, and I know he would have been immensely proud.”
WWL Chief Medical Officer, Professor. Sanjay Arya OBE, reflected on his time serving under Andrew, adding: “Andrew was born at Wigan Hospital, served the Trust as both Chairman and Chief Executive, and spent his last days in the hospital he nurtured. He was wildly respected across the NHS for his compassionate leadership with a strong focus on patient safety and staff engagement and he gave his lifelong commitment to the health service. He loved Wigan and put staff and patients at the heart of everything he did. His devotion to the local community was unparalleled. Today we pay tribute to the man, his legacy will remain forever.”
In total, £14.5m has been invested into Endoscopy services across WWL’s RAEI and Leigh Infirmary sites. The new endoscopy facilities at the RAEI will provide quicker access to endoscopy procedures, ultimately leading to better outcomes for patients, as well as an improved environment for both patients and staff. This will ensure that patients will be receiving the highest possible standards of care, with improvements in privacy and dignity, increased patient choice, and more timely appointments.
It will also contribute to the development at RAEI of JAG accreditation compliance, demonstrating high quality, safe and appropriate endoscopy services, delivered by a highly trained, highly supported and highly motivated workforce. Endoscopy services at Leigh Infirmary achieved JAG accreditation in Autumn 2025.
The investment into endoscopy services at both sites will improve equity of access to these vital diagnostics, supporting earlier diagnosis of conditions, including bowel cancer and other gastrointestinal diseases. It will also support reductions in waiting times.