The new Chairman for the Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust from 1st October, 2008 is to be Ms Aileen McLeish.  Her term of office will run for four years.     Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals serve around 420,000 people living and working in the Boroughs of Elmbridge, Hounslow, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, and Woking.

Making the announcement, the out-going Chairman Clive Thompson CBE said: “I am delighted to announce that my successor as Chairman of Ashford and St Peter’s Trust will be Aileen McLeish, the current Deputy Chairman. Aileen will take over on October 1st, 2008.

“Aileen was appointed as a Non-executive Director on November 1st, 2005, and became Deputy Chairman in 2007. She took over the Chairmanship of the influential Audit and Finance Committees in April 2007.”

Aileen has a Mechanical Sciences degree from Girton College, Cambridge and joined Unilever on their graduate trainee programme, where she gained a financial qualification. Following further experience at a senior level in H J Heinz, Aileen joined the “Not-for-profit” sector as Director of Finance at Historic Royal Palaces and in 2003 became Director of Resources at WWF-UK. She left WWF-UK in 2007 to give more attention to her family and her other interests, including her her role at the Trust. She is married with two teenage children and lives in Hampton.

Said Clive: “At Aileen’s original interview in 2005, her qualities and experience of strategic and financial management marked her out as a potential Chairman, and she has impressed us all with what she has done at the Board, and representing the Trust. Nevertheless, to be selected as Chairman, she had to undergo the full competitive public appointments process, and the appointment has been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) Code of Practice. It is good for the Trust that this appointment will not only provide us with an excellent Chairman, but will also ensure a considerable degree of continuity.

Said Clive: “From my point of view, as departing Chairman, I have great confidence and satisfaction that the Trust will be in good hands and that the substantial progress of the last few years will continue and even accelerate.  One of Aileen’s first tasks will be to lead the Board as we apply for Foundation Trust status and take Ashford and St Peter’s to a position of leadership in the health service in the South-East meeting the major challenges of the ever-changing NHS. I wish Aileen every success in this very rewarding post.”

Commenting on her appointment Ms McLeish said: ”It is a tremendous privilege to be appointed Chairman of ASPH and succeed Clive Thompson who has set such high standards of leadership. 

“A great deal has been achieved by the whole team over the last few years in turning around the performance at both hospitals and improving the healthcare and services provided to our patients. To give just two examples from the last year:  we had the lowest level of MRSA infections in the South East Coast and were one of the very few orthopaedic departments in England and Wales to meet the 18 week target for treating patients. 

“However, we recognise that we have a lot to do to improve howhow  our patients feel about the compassion andfeel about  care that they receive from us. Patient feedback gives us a lower rating compared with the majority of other hospitals in the country. Improving our patients’ experiencereceive from us. Patient feedback gives us a lower rating compared with the majority of other hospitals in the country.  Improving our patients’ experience will be will be the hospitals’  key priority during my time as Chair.” 

Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust is a medium sized district general hospital service operating from two sites - Ashford near Staines and St. Peter’s near Chertsey.  The Trust employs just over 3,000 staff (excluding contractors such as catering) making it one of the largest employers in the local area after Heathrow Airport.

Welcoming Aileen’s appointment Trust Chief Executive Paul Bentley said: “Aileen is a strong leader who will play a major part in the Trust’s development as a provider of high quality care for our patients.   As Ashford and St. Peter’s enters a new era in the health service Aileen will provide a positive guiding hand towards improved services for patients and greater success for the Trust.|”

Ms McLeish’s appointment, which runs until 30 September 2012, has been made by the Appointments Commission’s Health and Social Care Appointments Committee.  The commitment involves an average of  3 to 3.5 days a week and carries a remuneration of £20,587.

All non-executive appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees political activity (if any declared) to be made public. No political activity, or ministerial appointments, have been declared in this case.