By Pamela McGowan Health reporter

Published at 11:48, Wednesday, 03 September 2008

THE new chief executive of north Cumbria’s hospitals has taken up her post – more than a month early.

Arrival: Carole Heatly

Carole Heatly started work at the Cumberland Infirmary on Monday even though she wasn’t due to take over until the end of October.

Her premature arrival is a result of her securing an earlier than anticipated release from her previous post, as chief executive of Kingston Hospital in London.

She now replaces Marie Burnham as chief executive of the North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, formerly the acute hospitals trust.

Ms Heatly will now oversee the running of both the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

She is expected to spend the next few weeks familiarising herself with the two hospitals and meeting her new team.

Yesterday she attended her first board meeting, largely in an observational capacity, then later the trust’s annual general meeting.

During the AGM, which was open to the public, trust directors looked back on the successes and struggles they have faced over the past 12 months. This includes working to meet the Government’s 18-week waiting list target, cutting infection rates, building a new Dental Education Centre and most recently securing coveted university status.

PMcGowan@cngroup.co.uk

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk