Suzanne Rankin has completed her first two days as Chief Executive of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, meeting colleagues and partners as well as service users and those with lived experience and setting out her commitment to collaboration and improving health outcomes alongside local citizens and communities.
Having officially joined the Trust on 3 September, Suzanne has spent her first days meeting with a range of different teams, hearing first-hand from colleagues to learn more about services as well as meeting with system partners from across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Suzanne said: "It has been a privilege to spend my first few days with colleagues and partners who are so clearly committed to improving the lives of people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
"I have been struck by the passion, professionalism and dedication of staff, as well as the strength of the partnerships that have been built over time across our health and care system.
"Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare has an integral role to play in supporting people and communities to live healthier lives, and I firmly believe we achieve the best outcomes when we work together, listen to those who have or continue to use our services and place what matters to them most at the heart of all that we do.
"I joined the Trust excited by the opportunities we have collectively to transform health and care for local people. Over the coming weeks and months, I look forward to continuing to listen, learn and build strong relationships with colleagues, partners, people who use our services and the citizens and communities we serve."
As she begins her leadership of the Trust, Suzanne has emphasised the importance of continuing the collaborative approach that has underpinned the organisation's development since its formation, working alongside NHS, local authority, voluntary sector, service users and those with lived experience as well as community partners to improve health and care outcomes across the region.
Suzanne, who began her career as a nurse in the Royal Navy, brings a wealth of senior leadership experience across multiple health and care roles, and a real passion for leading integrated health and care systems. As a previous Chief Executive of Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey, and a Hampshire resident herself, Suzanne has experience of both leading healthcare services and living in the region.
