Media Release
Date: 5 March 2020
New Chief Executive for Bath's RUH hospital
Cara Charles-Barks will become the new Chief Executive of the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust in September 2020.
Cara has been Chief Executive of Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust since January 2017 and under her leadership the Trust moved from a CQC rating of 'Requires Improvement' to 'Good' in March 2019.
Before her move to Salisbury, Cara was Deputy Chief Operating Officer at North Anglia Health Service and Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust.
Prior to this, Cara, who is a registered nurse, held a wide range of clinical and management roles in both the NHS and the Australian healthcare system.
Cara said: "I am delighted to be joining the team at the RUH at such an exciting time. I've been impressed with the passion and ambition of staff to deliver services of the highest standard, and to challenge themselves to do even better."
Alison Ryan, Chair of the Trust, said: "Cara embodies the RUH's commitment to quality improvement and she has a strong sense of how our BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care System can evolve. With Cara as our new Chief Executive we will be able to provide the best services for our patients and a strong future for the RUH." Outgoing Chief Executive James Scott will be leaving the RUH to begin his retirement on 31 March. Libby Walters, Director of Finance and Deputy CEO, will take on the role of Interim CEO from 1 April until Cara joins in September.