David Flory CBE has been appointed as joint Chair of Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LUHFT) and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. He will start this joint role in March 2024.

The two Trusts have a history of working in partnership and collaboration, and the joint Chair role is designed to build on this foundation.

David was previously appointed to Chair LUHFT for a 12-month term starting in February 2023. Robert Clarke, the current chair of Liverpool Women’s, has announced that he will be stepping down from his role at the end of February, having served the maximum eight-year term of office.

David has a track record of delivering healthcare services and brings experience and understanding of the population health needs across Liverpool City Region.

Commenting on his appointment, David said: “I am delighted that I am able to continue working with the fantastic teams at LUHFT and I look forward to joining colleagues at Liverpool Women’s where there are so many opportunities to make a real difference to the communities we serve.”

James Sumner, Chief Executive of LUHFT and Chief Executive of Liverpool Women’s, said: “David’s extensive skills, knowledge and experience of the NHS, and understanding of healthcare in the Liverpool City Region, are a huge asset and his appointment is fantastic news for our patients and our staff.”

While this is a joint role with Liverpool Women’s, the Trusts will continue to operate as separate and independent organisations. Each Trust will continue to have its own Board of Directors and Council of Governors, which will be managed and operate as individual Trusts.

Raj Jain, Chair of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, said: “I am delighted with the appointment of David Flory as Chair of both Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. This appointment reflects increasingly close working between the Trusts – for the benefit of local patients – following the recent appointment of James Sumner as joint Chief Executive.”

David is Chair of NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board and previously held the role of interim Independent Chair for Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership until March 2022. 

Prior to this David had 22 years’ board-level experience as Chief Executive and Executive Director of NHS organisations in England.