A leading Cumbrian health chief has announced she is standing down.

Dame Jackie Daniel is chief executive of the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT).

The trust has announced that she has taken a "personal decision" to step down after more than five years in charge.

She will remain in post until the end of March.

UHMBT runs Furness General Hospital in Barrow, Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Ulverston Community Health Centre and Queen Victoria Hospital in Morecambe.

In a statement, Dame Jackie said: “After a privileged five and a half years leading the trust, I feel now is the right time.

"In terms of my personal future plans, I hope to continue to support the NHS and pursue a number of other interests."

An expert in NHS turnaround, Dame Jackie was appointed to transform the future of the failing trust.

Her appointment came as high-profile maternity deaths at Furness General Hospital were being exposed.

Since 2012, she has led the organisation out of special measures to achieve an overall rating of 'good' from national watchdog the Care Quality Commission.

She recently received a damehood in the Queen's New Year's Honours list for services to healthcare.

She added: "This job has been the most challenging, but also the most rewarding of my career. The improvements we have made together in quality and patient safety are impressive, and the staff, governors and partners should feel very proud.

"I have been well-supported over the years by the most talented and committed individuals and teams and I take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to you all.

"The work to date and the plans for the future will continue. I look forward to seeing a future CQC rating of ‘outstanding’ and an Accountable Care System in the Bay, which will provide a legacy of sustainable care for the next generation.

"We will now begin the process of the appointment of my successor and I will keep our staff and partners updated."

Cumbrian MPs have reacted to Dame Jackie's resignation.

Barrow's John Woodcock said: “Dame Jackie has done a great job turning round our hospitals at a very challenging time, I am sad to see her go but want to thank her on behalf of the whole community.

The Labour MP added: "Like all hospitals across the country, Morecambe Bay hospitals face a funding crisis imposed by the Government but they are stronger and better prepared thanks to the change programme that Dame Jackie has led. I wish her all the best for the future.”

South Lakes MP Tim Farron said: “Jackie has done an absolutely amazing job. The trust’s remarkable turnaround from being in special measures to now being rated as ‘good’ is testament to the years of hard work and sheer determination from Jackie and all of the staff at our local hospitals.

“I’m extremely grateful for her dedication to our local health services and wish her all the best for whatever the future may bring."

The Liberal Democrat added: “I look forward to working with Jackie’s successor as we still face many challenges, not least from the £572m that the government are planning on cutting from local health services, as well as the need for an urgent care centre and a radiotherapy unit at Westmorland General Hospital.”


Who is Dame Jackie Daniel?

Beginning her career as a nurse, she went on to work in NHS management.

She held various director level posts in acute, mental and specialist health trusts, and and has now been a chief executive for 16 years.

In August 2012 she was appointed to run the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust - replacing former chief executive Tony Halsall, who resigned six months earlier.

At the time the trust was already under the microscope of national watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Failings that led to the deaths of mothers and babies at Furness General Hospital were also being uncovered, with a cluster of five maternity deaths at Furness General in 2008 sounding alarm bells.

The Kirkup Investigation, during which Dame Jackie spoke frankly about her findings after taking charge of the troubled trust - would later expose the full extent of the scandal.

An expert in "turnaround trusts", Dame Jackie was tasked with using her experience to carve out a new future for UHMBT.

Speaking about her appointment, Dame Jackie previously said she was shocked at how "dysfunctional" the trust was.

"When I arrived I could see things were bad, probably worse than I thought," she was quoted as saying.

And it wasn't just maternity, with Dame Jackie also seeing the need to improve quality in other departments.

She therefore set about on a "complete rebuild", appointing a new management team and spending £5m on recruiting new staff in her first two years as chief executive.

She then set about leading a significant cultural change within the organisation as part of a major improvement plan.

Over the past five and a half years, she has led the trust out of special measures. Its most recent inspection saw it receive an overall rating of 'good', with an 'outstanding' rating for caring.

It now sits among the top rated NHS hospitals in the country.

Dame Jackie has also worked to set up Bay Health & Care Partners to deliver the high-profile Better Care Together strategy, integrating services across Morecambe Bay as part of a new Accountable Care System.

In recent years the trust has won a number of national awards and is rated as one of the top 50 most inclusive employers in the UK.

Dame Jackie holds a Master’s Degree in Quality Assurance in Health & Social Care and is a qualified business and personal coach.

She is also an avid health and wellbeing commentator, a member of the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Women Leaders Board and an Executive in Residence with Lancaster University Management School.

Jackie was listed in the HSJ top chief executive officer list in 2016 and 2017. Last year she also entered the HSJ's top 100 most influential people in health and was shortlisted for the chief executive of the year award.

Just over a week ago she received a damehood in the Queen's New Year Honours list for services to healthcare.


Timeline of Jackie Daniel's reign:

February 2012 - chief executive Tony Halsall resigns after five years in charge.

2012 - Jackie Daniel takes the role of chief executive.

April 2013 - CQC review trust's progress against a series of recommendations for improvement.

September 2013 - Investigation into maternity deaths launched by the Department of Health.

January 2014 - CQC inspection.

June 2014 - UHMBT is placed in special measures after being rated inadequate.

March 2015 - Kirkup report reveals extent of FGH maternity scandal which resulted in the deaths of one mother and 11 babies between 2004 and 2013.

July 2015 - CQC inspection.

December 2015 - UHMBT becomes fastest trust to move out of special measures with a 'requires improvement' rating.

October 2016: - CQC inspection.

February 2017 - UHMBT receives an overall 'good' rating.

January 2018 - Jackie Daniel receives a damehood in the New Year Honours list. A week later she announces she is standing down.