NHS chairman for West Hertfordshire expresses 'delight' over contract extension

The NHS chairman for the trust covering Dacorum has expressed his delight at signing a contract extension with the health body.

Phil Townsend, the chairman for West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has agreed to stay on until 2025.

He is credited with overseeing new innovation at Hertfordshire facilities and leading the trust through the pandemic.

Chairman Townsend said: “It is an honour to chair West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and contribute to our vision of providing the best care possible, every single day. I am delighted to be part of this brilliant team and I look forward to more successes and in particular to being able to progress our redevelopment plans.”

He has held the role since 2020, trust chief executive, Matthew Coats, added: “It’s great news for the trust that Phil had been reappointed. He’s used his considerable skills and expertise from a long career in industry to help steer the trust through a period of sustained improvement. I’m delighted that he will continue to lead our board as we support our fantastic hard-working staff to deliver safe and high-quality patient care.

"He’s made a huge contribution to the trust and his leadership has already covered some formative events, including the challenge of the pandemic, switching to an electronic patient record system and achieving national and international recognition for our virtual hospital. Phil has taken a strong interest in our redevelopment plans, which he has promoted at every opportunity. Personally, I’m very grateful for all of his support to me since I joined the trust last year.

“Phil’s role includes chairing our board meetings and consultant recruitment panels, as well as maintaining great working relationships with MPs, business leaders and partners in our local health system. He is well known to our staff for his regular visits across the trust and for the pleasure he takes in awarding our monthly and annual Star of Herts staff awards.”

Chairman Townsend lives in St Albans, in 2011 he joined the trust as a non-executive director 2011 and became vice chairman in 2014, a post he held until 2019. He was appointed interim chair in 2019 and was made permanent in 2020.