ICB names third chair in eight months

Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Integrated Care Board has confirmed former hospital trust CEO Paula Clark as its latest interim chair.

Its last permanent chair, David Sissling, announced in February he would step down the following month for health reasons.

Simone Jordan, a non-executive director, became acting chair in April, before Pauline Tagg, also a NED, took over as acting chair in June.

Ms Clark was then appointed as interim chair last month, the ICB said.

LLR initially said a new chair would be in place by early summer. However, it told HSJ the recruitment process – which requires national signoff – had been delayed due to the July general election, and parliamentary recess.

It has declined to say why it needed three different acting and interim chairs.

The ICB told HSJ it has no immediate plan to advertise for and appoint a substantive chair, and “will work with NHS England to consider the best timing for that in 2025”.

Previously, Ms Clark was interim chief executive of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust from 2019-20. She has also held chief executive posts at University Hospitals of North Midlands, The Dudley Group, and Burton Hospitals. 

She continues to work as a non-executive director for private provider Benenden Health, and has also held board posts at a number of NHS networks and universities. 

LLR ICB also lost its CEO Andy Williams when he retired at the end of last year. Caroline Trevithick, formerly its deputy chief executive and chief nursing officer, took over as interim CEO in November 2023.

This article was updated at 10.47am on 10 December to clarify that Caroline Trevithick is interim CEO, and not substantive as previously stated.