New chief executive Dr Ewen Cameron starts at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT) has welcomed a new chief executive, who started in his role today.

Dr Ewen Cameron has joined the trust from Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), where he was the director of improvement and transformation since February 2018.

He was also interim chief operating officer for CUH in 2021/22.

At CUH, Ewen was responsible for a programme of continuous improvement and productivity, digital and innovation.

He said: "I am delighted to start my role as new chief executive of West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, an organisation renowned for its innovative and dedicated workforce.

"I’m really looking forward to working alongside colleagues throughout the community and across both our hospitals to continue offering dedicated and high-quality care for patients."

West Suffolk Hospital is a 430-bed hospital in Bury St Edmunds, serving a population of around 280,000 within 600 square miles.

In his previous role Ewen worked as a consultant gastroenterologist and will continue doing so for one afternoon a week at WSFT.

Jude Chin, WSFT chair, said: “Ewen brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge, making him the perfect choice to lead the trust into the future. He is an outstanding leader, whose passion and commitment to the NHS will be a great asset to our organisation.

“I want to thank Craig Black, who stepped up at a very challenging time as our interim chief executive. He did an incredible job in steadying the organisation. On behalf of our board and governors we would like to thank Craig for everything he has done.”

Dr Cameron added: “There are some huge pressures on the NHS and its staff currently. I’m really excited to get to work with colleagues all across the organisation so our staff are allowed to develop the solutions to these challenges and so we can continue offering the high standard of support and care for the west Suffolk community. Having such strong, dedicated staff, community and acute services within the same organisation and strong digital capability will be key.

"It’s also a very exciting time to be joining the trust, with our new healthcare facility on the horizon."