Hospital boss Stephen Eames will soon be in charge of the majority of north Cumbria's health services after being appointed interim chief executive of the Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Mr Eames is currently chief executive of the North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

He was also heavily involved in the Success Regime's controversial Healthcare for the Future consultation and is the leading the area's Sustainability and Transformation plan (STP).

Now Mr Eames looks set to take over as interim boss of the Cumbria Partnership, which runs community and mental health services across Cumbria.

The move would put him in charge of the vast majority of health services in north Cumbria, plus some in the south.

They include the area's community hospitals.


Claire Molloy Mr Eames will replace current chief executive Claire Molloy, who is leaving the county at the end of summer for a new post.

The trusts are also looking at the possibility of appointing a shared chairman.

The Cumbria Partnership's non executive directors have approved Mr Eames' appointment, though a few finer details have yet to be ironed out.

Mrs Molloy has now sent out a memo to trust staff explaining the decision.

She said: "Stephen is a very experienced chief executive of 25 years including leading two integrated health trusts and a mental health trust.

"Given the joint work we have been building, it seems a sensible step."

Chairman Mike Taylor is also set to retire this summer.

The partnership trust had been advertising for a replacement, but this is now set to be put on hold while the potential for a shared chairman is explored.

The Cumbria Partnership's Governors' Council will now consider both matters at its next meeting.


Mike Taylor At present there are said to be no plans for a formal merger between the two trusts.

Mr Eames said: “I am pleased that the board of directors at Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has recommended me to take up the role of interim chief executive subject to further confirmation.

"Our organisations have been working very closely and successfully together for some time and that is something which can be further built on for the benefit of all staff and patients accessing services provided across both of our organisations.”

Mrs Molloy, who will become chief executive at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, has sought to reassure staff across the organisation about the changes, saying any long term changes would be overseen by the current directors and go through proper checks.