Andrew Liles has been appointed Chief Executive at Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust.    He will join the Trust full-time in January 2009.

Announcing the appointment Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals Chairman Aileen McLeish said: “Following a tough interview process I am delighted that Andrew has accepted our invitation to become Chief Executive at Ashford and St. Peter’s.    He has the right mix of experience and skills to take Ashford and St. Peter’s forward as a major healthcare provider for the people of Surrey and south west London.  These are exciting times for Ashford and St. Peter’s as we move towards Foundation Trust status and I am sure that Andrew will make a significant contribution to the Trust.

Andrew has been Chief Executive of the Royal West Sussex NHS Trust which runs St. Richards Hospital in Chichester since March 2006.    Prior to that he was Director of Strategy at Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals and acting Chief Executive at Southampton University Hospitals.    He began his career in the NHS as an NHS management trainee.    Andrew has a degree in Economics and Industrial Relations, an MA in Health Studies and participated in the NHS Leadership Centre's NHS Directors Programme. Andrew is married and lives in Brighton.

Andrew says: “As a future Foundation Trust Ashford and St. Peter’s has a very bright future providing a complete range of local and specialist health services.    I am looking forward to being a part of that future and working with staff, stakeholders and local people to ensure that the best possible standard of healthcare is available locally. 

Andrew succeeds Paul Bentley who took over from Glenn Douglas when he was seconded to Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospitals NHS Trust in October 2007.   Mrs McLeish said: “I would also like to pay tribute to Paul Bentley who took over at short notice as Chief Executive and has steered Ashford and St. Peter’s through continued improvement illustrated by our success in 2007/08.”

In 2007/08 Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals had:

·          an excellent improvement in MRSA bacteraemia rates with the lowest rate in Surrey;

·          achieved the 18 weeks milestones for seeing patients within 18 weeks from the date the referral is received to the point where the patient receives their first treatment - the Trust achieved 88% (milestone 85%) of admitted and 93% (milestone 90%) of non-admitted patients;

·          met the 98 per cent target for patients seen and treated within four hours in A&E; and

·          delivered a surplus of income over expenditure of £2.5m.