New Medical Director appointed to South London Healthcare NHS Trust

07-Aug-2012

It was announced today that Dr Chris Palin has been appointed as Medical Director at South London Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup, the Princess Royal Hospital in Bromley and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich.

This is a critical leadership role, not just in supporting staff at these hospitals to deliver good services today for local patients; but also in giving a strong clinical voice to the future shape of health services across south east London.  The hospital trust is currently working to find a sustainable solution for delivering high quality but affordable services for the long term for local people.

Matthew Kershaw, who is running the hospital trust and directly accountable to the Secretary of State for Health to make recommendations for the future, said:

"I am delighted that Dr Chris Palin is joining the leadership team for South London Healthcare NHS Trust. He brings a deep local knowledge as a consultant hospital doctor in this area for the past 14 years, high calibre clinical expertise and know-how, and an energy and dedication to ensuring that we work with a range of NHS and other partners in the area to design high quality, affordable and sustainable services for the future."

Dr Chris Palin said:

"I am both excited and honoured to have been appointed as Medical Director at such an important time for this hospital trust and for healthcare services in south east London.  There is much hard work ahead but by working together with doctors, nurses and other clinicians, as well as the managerial and support staff in our hospitals, patients and local residents I am convinced we can find a way forward for delivering sustainable healthcare services to local communities for the long-term.  I am looking forward to taking on my new role."

• Dr Chris Palin is a consultant in intensive care/anaesthesia.  He was appointed as a consultant at Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup in 1998. After roles as clinical governance lead and critical care lead he became a clinical director for medicine at Queen Mary’s in 2008. Following the creation of South London Healthcare NHS Trust in 2009 Chris became a clinical director and was heavily involved in the reconfiguration of emergency services in 2010. As part of that reconfiguration his clinical practice moved from Queen Mary’s to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich. For the past 18 months Chris has been the clinical director for the acute medical pathway at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and for critical care across the hospitals that comprise South London Healthcare NHS Trust.