Appointment of our new Chief Operating Officer

Our Trust has appointed Joanna Forster Adams (pictured) as our new Chief Operating Officer.

Joanna is currently Executive Director of Operations at Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and will join Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in around three months’ time.

Lynn Parkinson will continue in her role as Interim Chief Operating Officer at our Trust until Joanna arrives, when she will step back into her substantive role as Deputy Chief Operating Officer.

Trust Chairman Frank Griffiths, who also chaired the interview panel, said: “We are delighted to have appointed Joanna to this high profile and demanding role on the Board. Joanna has a wealth of senior leadership experience and has proven success in performance, service improvement and service delivery.”

Joanna has been Director of Operations at Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust since 2009. Her portfolio currently includes the management and leadership of all clinical services across the Trust with a focus on service development and transformation delivery with health and social care partners. Joanna has a Master’s in Business Administration from Durham University and is a graduate of the NHS Leadership Academy Nye Bevan programme.

Frank added: “I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to Lynn Parkinson who has acted up as interim chief operating officer for well over a year. Lynn has provided the Board with a wisdom and experience gathered over many years of service to this Trust, and her dedication has seen her put in countless hours over and above the call of duty.”