WEST Suffolk Hospital's chief executive has announced he will be leaving the trust next year to take up a post in Dorset.

Jonathan Schofield

WEST Suffolk Hospital's chief executive has announced he will be leaving the trust next year to take up a post in Dorset.

Chris Bown, who joined West Suffolk Hospital in 2004, will leave on March 31 to join the Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Roger Quince, hospital chairman, said: “Chris has been instrumental in helping the hospital achieve so much over the past five years, and for that we are extremely grateful.

“His appointment as chief executive in Poole is a testament to this and I would like to take this opportunity to wish him continued success in the future.”

He said that during Mr Bown's leadership the hospital had taken great strides towards achieving Foundation Trust status - a process that he was sure Mr Bown was committed to concluding over the remainder of his time at West Suffolk.

“This will bring huge benefits for our patients by giving the trust more freedom to develop new services which meet specific local needs,” Mr Quince added.

Mr Bown joined West Suffolk from Birmingham Children's Hospital where he held the post of director of operations for three years.

During his time in Bury St Edmunds the hospital has seen reductions in the incidence of hospital acquired infections while steering the trust to financial security.

Mr Quince said work would begin immediately to appoint a suitable successor with the calibre to continue Mr Bown's good work.