Carol Shillabeer is to leave her post as chief executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Wales’s largest health board, to take up the same senior role at Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust in England.
Her departure, announced on November 14, comes as Betsi Cadwaladr remains under Welsh Government special measures and faces continuing scrutiny over its leadership, governance and performance. Ms Shillabeer is expected to step down in the new year, although the board has not yet set out a timetable for appointing her successor.
A health board in prolonged intervention
Ms Shillabeer joined the organisation as interim chief executive in May 2023, several months after it was placed back into special measures. The intervention followed concerns about the way the board was being run, its leadership and the delivery of services.
Betsi Cadwaladr had previously been subject to special measures from 2015 until 2020. Its return to that status in 2023 underlined the continuing difficulty of securing a sustained improvement at an organisation providing health services across North Wales.
| Development | Detail |
|---|---|
| Previous intervention | Special measures from 2015 to 2020 |
| Current intervention | Escalated again in 2023 |
| Ms Shillabeer’s appointment | Joined as interim chief executive in May 2023 |
| Next role | Chief executive of Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust |
Direct action from the Welsh Government
Earlier this year, the Welsh Government announced that it would take direct action to drive improvement. That represented a change from the previous model, under which the health board itself led its recovery and improvement work.
An independent panel was also commissioned to examine the organisation’s position. Its remit includes patient safety, as well as leadership, governance, organisational culture and the capability of the board. The review places Ms Shillabeer’s departure within a broader process examining how the health board is managed and how it delivers care to patients and communities.
The board said it would now consider the appropriate leadership arrangements and publish details once the necessary processes had been completed. Until then, the organisation faces the task of maintaining continuity at the top while improvement work continues under government intervention.
Leadership change during an unfinished recovery
In a statement, Ms Shillabeer described her time at Betsi Cadwaladr as a privilege and said she was proud of what staff had achieved during a demanding period. She also highlighted the commitment of employees to patients, families and communities across North Wales.
“It has been an enormous privilege to serve as Chief Executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.”
Dyfed Edwards, the board’s chair, congratulated Ms Shillabeer on her new appointment but acknowledged that significant work remained. He said the organisation’s improvement journey was continuing, a message that reflects the challenge facing whoever assumes responsibility for the board next.
The change also illustrates the movement of senior NHS leaders between Wales and England at a time when both systems are managing complex organisational pressures. Ms Shillabeer’s new position will be at Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, while Betsi Cadwaladr must determine how its leadership is structured during a period of direct government involvement.
- Ms Shillabeer is leaving Betsi Cadwaladr for a chief executive role in England.
- The Welsh health board was returned to special measures in 2023 after concerns about governance, leadership and performance.
- An independent review is examining patient safety and the organisation’s leadership, culture and board capability.
The immediate practical question is who will lead Betsi Cadwaladr through the next stage of its recovery. The longer-term test will be whether the board can achieve lasting improvement in the areas identified by the Welsh Government and the independent panel, while retaining the confidence of patients, staff and the communities it serves.
