Two NHS trusts in north east London are strengthening their close collaboration through a series of key executive and Board appointments.

These posts support Shane DeGaris as successor to Alwen Williams at Barts Health in a new role as Group Chief Executive (and accountable officer) for both Barts Health NHS Trust and Barking, Havering, and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT).

The two bodies are increasingly operating as a wider group of NHS hospitals while retaining the sovereignty and independence of both Boards under their Chair in common, Jacqui Smith.

In recognition of this shared leadership, Matthew Trainer, Chief Executive of BHRUT, will be designated Group Deputy Chief Executive from 1 August. He will be a voting member of the Barts Health Board, balancing Shane DeGaris on the BHRUT Board.

Jacqui Smith set up a joint committee of both Boards to oversee the collaboration and appointed three joint non-executive directors. Lesley Seary is already on the BHRUT Board; Kathy McLean is on the Barts Health Board; as is Prof Sir Mark Caulfield of Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) who will now be university representative on both.

Meanwhile three new non-executives are to join the Barts Health Board: Helen Spice and Joni Ferns as full members, and Sarah Teather as an associate. Barts Health will also recruit a Chief Operating Officer to take on the operational responsibilities that Shane DeGaris previously held as its deputy chief executive.

Jacqui Smith said: “Across the country NHS organisations are increasingly working together to provide integrated care for the benefit of their patients. These collaborations take different forms in different places but share a commitment to improving the quality of care, operational performance and financial sustainability.

“We are putting in place arrangements to ensure Barts Health and BHRUT together enhance our services, working with Homerton Healthcare NHS Trust as part of a broader collaboration delivering improvements for the people of north east London.”

Dr Kathy McLean is Chair of University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust and Chair of the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board.

She was the Executive Medical Director and Chief Operating Officer at NHS Improvement having been Medical Director at the NHS Trust Development Authority; prior to this she was the Clinical Transitions Director at the NHS Commissioning Board, developing the clinical functions of NHS England, clinical networks, and clinical senates. Kathy’s clinical career was as a consultant for fifteen years and Executive Medical Director at Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Professor Sir Mark Caulfield is one of the country’s leading authorities on genomic medicine research and is Chief Executive of Barts Life Sciences, a collaboration on cutting-edge clinical innovation between Barts Health and QMUL.

He was Chief Scientist at Genomics England, where he was instrumental in delivering the 100,000 Genomes Project which delivered life-changing results for many patients. Sir Mark trained in clinical pharmacology at St Bartholomew’s hospital, was a leading force in the creation of the Barts Heart Centre and still practices as a consultant in the blood pressure clinic.