Publish date: 24 May 2024
Dear colleagues,
I am pleased to share some important news with you. Yesterday we appointed Trish Bennett, currently our Deputy CEO, Chief Nurse and Chief Operating Officer, as the new Chief Executive Officer Designate, subject to approval by the Trust’s Council of Governors.
Trish joined Mersey Care in 2016 and has held a variety of roles within the organisation. She will be succeeding Prof Joe Rafferty CBE, who retires at the end of October 2024.
Trish is highly regarded both within Mersey Care and across the wider system, representing the Trust at regional and national level. As Chief Nurse and Chief Operations Officer, Trish was responsible for the nursing leadership and operational management across approximately 200 sites, including mental health, learning disabilities, community, secure and prison services. She was also the lead for compliance with CQC requirements and Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response.
Subject to approval by the Trust’s Council of Governors, I am delighted that Trish will become our new CEO and extend my personal congratulations as she prepares to embark on this new journey with Mersey Care. I’ve got to know Trish well over the years and I have seen how deeply committed she is to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities and making a real and lasting difference.
Building on the existing foundations, I’m sure Trish will bring her own ideas to the role. It’s a challenging time to lead an NHS organisation but I know Trish is a popular choice and will work well with the existing team to take the organisation forward.
Yours sincerely,
Rosie