THE chief executive of Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, Dr Alison Diamond, has announced that she will retire at the end of March 2018.

A replacement will need to be found and her successor will sit on the recently formed ‘Holsworthy Hospital stakeholder group’, which has been continually looking into ways in which the Trust can safely reopen the beds which were temporarily closed in March of this year due to safety concerns.

Dr Diamond has worked in the NHS for more than 30 years and came to northern Devon in 1989, first joining the Trust in 2006 as associate medical director. She became medical director in 2010 and chief executive in 2014.

Dr Diamond said: “I am so proud to think that I have had the privilege of ending my career in the same trust which supported my GP training when I first came to North Devon. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to serve my local communities.

“I have been so fortunate to have led such an inspiring group of staff and I am in awe of their commitment to working together to provide the very best care for local people.

“Their relentless enthusiasm for innovation and finding ways to make things even better is something to be very proud of and I will step down in March knowing that we are absolutely heading in the right direction.”

Dr Diamond led the Trust as it shifted its focus to the ‘home-first’ model of care. The Trust wants to see more people remain independent at home and is working to join-up services.

Speaking about Dr Diamond’s involvement with the Trust over the years, chairman of the Trust Roger French said: “Alison’s commitment to northern Devon has always been inspiring and everything she has achieved has been driven by a desire to do the very best for patients.

“She has had an impressive career in the local NHS, and has led a great deal of positive change within the Trust, often through challenging times.

“Under Alison’s leadership, we have taken health and social care integration to the next level with initiatives such as the launch of Devon Cares, a service through which we organise social care for people in North and mid Devon, and One Northern Devon, a partnership between local organisations which sees them working together to provide better services for local people.

“We have been very fortunate to have benefitted from her expertise and we will wish Alison a very fond farewell when she comes to leave in March.

The Trust board will now start to plan for Dr Diamond’s replacement.