October 30, 2015 11.49 am This story is over 101 months old

New chief executive appointed at St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice

CEO appointed: Lincoln-based terminal care charity St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice has appointed a new chief executive.
New St Barnabas CEO Chris Wheway with the hospice's Chairman of Trustees Bob Neilans.

Lincoln-based terminal care charity St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice has appointed a new chief executive after saying goodbye to former CEO Sarah-Jane Mills.

Chris Wheway is stepping into the role from his current position as Divisional Director of Urgent and Planned Care for Derbyshire Healthcare Foundation Trust.

As previously reported, Sarah-Jane Mills left to take up a position with the Lincolnshire West Clinical Commissioning Group.

Chris’ appointment follows a long career within the NHS in both Lincolnshire and Derbyshire, spanning 12 years.

He will take up his post on November 2, adopting the organisation’s drive to become a centre of excellence in taking the quality of end of life care to new heights.

He said: “I am really looking forward to starting my role as Chief Executive of St Barnabas and leading the organisation in what I believe to be an exciting time for palliative care.”

The hospice’s Chairman of Trustees, Bob Neilans, added: “On behalf of the Hospice I am pleased to welcome Chris to the organisation.

“He has extensive NHS experience and I am confident he will quickly embrace the St Barnabas ethos of innovation and excellence. I look forward to Chris taking the Hospice forward.”

St Barnabas Hospice has seen a significant increase in the demand for its services, most significantly their day therapy services which over the last two years has seen a 177% increase in the number of people accessing the service, which is wholly funded by charitable donations.

In the last 12 months the charity’s community hospice at home teams have cared for more than 1,700 patients in their own homes across the county and for over 350 people at its inpatient facilities in Lincoln and Grantham.

Chris Wheway added: “It is clear that the next five years will see wide-ranging changes in the health and social care environment.

“My aim is to be at the forefront of this change, listening to patients their families and carers, to ensure that we not only continue to provide high quality services and lead the development of palliative care in Lincolnshire but that through innovation and partnerships, we support more people closer to home.”