St Richard’s Hospice has announced that the current Care Director, June Patel, is to take up her new role as Chief Executive of the Worcestershire charity at the end of May.
This will follow the retirement of Chief Executive Mark Jackson who is stepping down in May from his role after more than a decade at the helm.
Mrs Patel, from Droitwich, joined St Richard’s as Care Director in 2011 and has helped shape a wide range of developments in patient and family care for those living with life-limiting illnesses in the county.
As Care Director, Mrs Patel is currently the Care Quality Commission registered manager responsible for all the nursing and palliative care delivered by the clinical departments at St Richard’s Hospice.
“I feel honoured and privileged to have been appointed the new Chief Executive of our wonderful hospice – a much loved charity that has grown over the last 33 years and which will continue to develop thanks to the dedicated board of governors, staff, volunteers and generous support and goodwill from our community. I have a real passion for local healthcare and I’m looking forward to building on the achievements which Mark has led over the last decade, putting our patients and their loved ones at the heart of all we do.”
Chair of St Richard’s Governors, John Bawden, said, “We are delighted that June will be our new Chief Executive as we look to extend our services to meet the needs of the community. She has enormous enthusiasm and experience which will contribute significantly to continuous improvements in the quality of care that the hospice provides for more than 2,500 patients and their loved ones every year.
He added, “On behalf of the board of governors I would also like to pay tribute to Mark Jackson for the tremendous impact he has had on St Richard’s since he joined in 2006. I believe that June will continue to transform care for those affected by life-limiting illness in Worcestershire.”
Mrs Patel is a Registered Nurse (Adult) with a BSc (Hons) degree in Nursing and Masters Degree in Sociological Research in Healthcare from Warwick University. Her previous appointments in the NHS have included Managing Director / Executive Nurse of Shropshire Primary Care Trust, Director of Clinical Services and Nursing of South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust and Director of Nursing of Worcestershire Community and Mental Health Trust.
Mrs Patel recognised the need to raise the profile of hospice care and palliative and end of life care in South Worcestershire and was a driving force behind the establishment of the Centre for Palliative Care in partnership with the University of Worcester in 2013.
St Richard’s Hospice provides free specialist palliative care for patients living with life-limiting illnesses and supports their loved ones. Each year the hospice team supports over 2,500 patients and family members in Worcestershire.
The hospice strives to provide the best medical, practical, emotional and social support they can to help people live life to the fullest, as independently as they can, for as long as they can.
St Richard’s is an independent charity and is grateful for all donations to help it continue its work.