Lynne Hunt has been appointed as the Chair of Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust.  

Lynne has a track record of almost 40 years public service, working in the NHS within mental health services. She began her career as a nurse in Dorset, before moving to London and has held a number of clinical and Board level roles. Most recently she has been Non-Executive Director and Vice Chair of Dorset Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Lynne will begin as Chair on Monday 3 July.

The process to appoint the new Chair was extensive and involved service users, staff and local partner organisations. A key focus for Lynne in her new role will be to drive forward developments within the Trust that will shape the future of services, as part of the Clinical Services Strategy, and more widely as part of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sustainability and Transformation Plan.

Lynne Hunt, incoming Chair of Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I’m delighted to have been given this opportunity to work at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust. My focus has always been on improving patient care and delivering quality services that fit the needs of all patients and service users, and so I believe my experience and clinical background will be invaluable in building on the good progress already made at the Trust.

“Southern Health has been on a journey in recent years, and I see my appointment as being an important next step as the Trust continues on this journey of improvement. With this new leadership and a board of newly appointed Non-Executive Directors we can influence and develop a culture of change and improvement that will benefit staff and patients, aspiring for excellence at every opportunity. I look forward to this new role, and the future, with optimism.”

Alan Yates, Interim Chair of Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“It is good news for Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust that the Council of Governors of the Trust has chosen Lynne to be the next Chair of the Trust. She has a tremendous background of service improvement as a clinical manager, as an executive director and more recently as a senior non-executive director. Her skill, experience and humanity I am sure will mean that the Board will be well-led and in turn the Trust and its services will be well led. I was pleased that she was chosen after the widespread involvement of so many stakeholders and it is my hope that she will enjoy the widespread support she deserves as she seeks to help the Trust improve.”