Murray Macdonald, interim Chair for NLaG Therese Patten, interim Chief Executive Following the decision in September to disestablish NHS Humber Health Partnership (HHP), NHS England and the Council of Governors of Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLaG) have approved the appointments of Murray Macdonald as interim Chair and Therese Patten, Chief Executive of Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, as interim Chief Executive of NLaG.
On 10 September, the boards of NLaG and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH) agreed that it was in the best interests of patients for HHP to be dissolved. While the separation process will take time, the two organisations will ultimately return to having separate boards, chief executives and executive teams. These joint appointments are a significant step towards establishing those distinct leadership arrangements.
Alan Downey currently chairs both NLaG and HUTH under the HHP group arrangement, while Lyn Simpson is Group and HUTH Chief Executive. Alan and Lyn will continue as Chair and Chief Executive of the Group and HUTH, respectively. This model of leadership will continue until the Group has been dissolved.
Murray, who will start in his role on 1 October has served as a Non-Executive Director for almost two years and brings extensive leadership and governance experience to the role. His previous NHS non-executive positions span community health, commissioning, the East of England Ambulance Service and the Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board Finance Committee. He is also a highly experienced chief executive in the housing sector.
Starting her role on 6 October, Therese is currently Chief Executive of Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust and has extensive NHS Board level experience having worked across community, mental health, acute and specialist healthcare. Since September 2020, she has been Chief Executive of Bradford District Care NHS Trust.
Alongside this, she has until recently, been Place Lead and Accountable Officer for the Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership—a collaboration of health, care and voluntary sector organisations. This role had delegated authority from West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.
During 2024/25 she was National Director for Place Development at NHS England, working to shape policy on place-making within the System Architecture Team. She also served for six years as a Trustee on the Board of NHS Providers, representing the mental health sector.
Murray said: “It is a privilege to be appointed interim Chair of Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust. These appointments mark the beginning of a new chapter for NLaG as separate leadership and governance arrangements are put in place. I look forward to working closely with Therese, governors, colleagues and partners to provide stability through the transition and maintain our focus on safe, high-quality care and improved access for local people.”
Therese said: “I am pleased to be joining NLaG as interim Chief Executive at an important point in the Trust’s development. My immediate priority will be to listen to colleagues, work with Murray and the wider leadership team, and ensure we continue to deliver safe, effective and compassionate care. I am committed to providing clear and steady leadership as NLaG moves towards its new arrangements, while building on the dedication and expertise of teams across the organisation.”
Lyn Simpson, Chief Executive at NHS Humber Health Partnership, said: “I welcome the appointments of Murray and Therese as interim Chair and interim Chief Executive of NLaG. Their combined leadership experience will be invaluable as we establish separate arrangements for the Trust. We will work closely with them to ensure a safe, orderly transition while maintaining our focus on patients, colleagues and the reliable delivery of services.”
Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital and community services across North and North East Lincolnshire and the wider area, including services from Scunthorpe General Hospital, Diana Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby and Goole and District Hospital.