Non-Executive Director and Associate Non-Executive Director,
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
United Kingdom
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has been on a positive journey of improvement. In recent years, we have transformed operational performance, significantly reduced waiting times and strengthened our financial position. In 2025, we were named NHS Trust of the Year and won the Performance Recovery Award at the HSJ Awards. We have since moved into Segment 1 of NHS England's National Oversight Framework, placing us among the country's highest performing trusts.
There is a great deal happening across our Trust. We have recently opened a new surgical centre at St Albans City Hospital, alongside new diagnostic facilities, as part of a £100m investment programme. We are also progressing plans for the redevelopment of Watford General Hospital and developing new ways of delivering care through digital technology and closer working with our partners.
We are proud of how far we have come, and we have high expectations for the future. We now want to appoint two talented individuals who will bring fresh thinking, experience and challenge to our Board.
Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Finance and Performance Committee
We are seeking an accomplished senior leader with significant financial and performance experience gained in a large, complex organisation. You will bring the credibility, commercial judgement and independence to chair one of our most important Board committees, helping us maintain high standards of financial and operational performance while overseeing the delivery of our ambitious plans.
Associate Non-Executive Director
We also have a fantastic opportunity for an Associate Non-Executive Director from a People/HR background to join our Board. We want someone who has a track record of success as a Chief People Officer or with equivalent skills, and can bring different experience and perspectives to our Board. We are particularly interested in people from a broad range of sectors, whether commercial, digital, public service, education, community leadership and beyond. You may be new to NHS boards, but you will have a track record of leadership, sound judgement and the confidence to contribute alongside experienced Board colleagues.
For both appointments, we want people who are curious, independent minded and prepared to ask challenging questions. You will share our commitment to patients and be motivated by the opportunity to contribute to an organisation with high standards and considerable ambition.
We welcome applications from across our diverse communities and are particularly keen to hear from people whose backgrounds and experiences are currently under represented on NHS boards.
Our vision is very simple: to provide ‘excellent patient care, together’.
It underpins our values and our aim to support each other for our patients. We aim to create a culture and environment where our teams are supported to achieve our vision.
Our values have been designed by our colleagues for our colleagues. The values reflect what matters to us most.
Empowered – We are all listened to and are accountable for what we do. We achieve our potential through continuous learning, teaching and education.
Compassionate – We care about patients and colleagues. We always support each other and show kindness by considering the impact of our actions and decisions.
Professional – We set high standards for ourselves and others, delivering brilliant basics every day. We are calm, measured, fair and respectful; and commit to continuous improvement.
Inclusive – We value diversity and individuality in all its forms. We actively seek contributions from patients, partners and colleagues. We speak out against discrimination.
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Thank you for your interest in joining West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as either our new Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Finance and Performance Committee or Associate Non-Executive Director with a People/HR background.
I am very proud of what we have achieved at West Herts over recent years. Our hospitals have long been part of the communities of Watford, St Albans and Hemel Hempstead, and we value the close relationships we have with local people, organisations and partners. We have come a long way as an organisation, thanks to the hard work, commitment and determination of our colleagues, whose diverse backgrounds and experiences are one of our strengths. We have improved patient care, tackled some longstanding operational challenges and developed a culture where people take responsibility, support one another and are ambitious about what we can achieve.
The progress has been considerable, and we have moved from being one of the lower performing trusts for A&E waiting times to consistently ranking among the best in the country. We have reduced waiting lists, eliminated corridor care and made significant improvements in our financial position. Our achievements were recognised in 2025 when we were named NHS Trust of the Year and received the Performance Recovery Award at the HSJ Awards. More recently, we have moved into Segment 1 of NHS England's National Oversight Framework, placing us among the highest performing trusts nationally.
Of course, what matters most is what these improvements mean for our patients and the people who work here. Patients are receiving care more quickly, our services are working more effectively and we have created a much better basis from which to plan for the future.
We are also beginning to see the benefits of major investment in our hospitals. The recent opening of our new surgical centre at St Albans, alongside the new Community Diagnostic Centre, is an important milestone in a £100m programme of improvements. These facilities will help us treat more patients, reduce waiting times and provide care in better environments. We are continuing to progress our plans for Watford General Hospital and, in Hemel Hempstead, are working with local partners on proposals for a new health campus that would bring hospital and community services together in a more accessible setting. Alongside this, we are building on the success of our Virtual Hospital and developing new approaches to care with our partners across Hertfordshire.
There is much more we want to achieve, and we know that the demands on our services will continue to grow, that financial pressures will remain and that sustaining high performance requires constant attention. Our ambitions are considerable, and we want a Board that shares them. We are therefore setting high expectations for both of these appointments.
For our Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Finance and Performance Committee, we are looking for someone with a highly credible record of senior leadership, excellent financial and commercial judgement, and the confidence to provide rigorous, constructive challenge. We have worked hard to improve our performance and financial position, and this individual will have an important part to play in helping us sustain that progress while supporting our future ambitions.
For our Associate Non-Executive Director, we are keen to attract someone who has made a real impact on the People or HR agenda and who will bring something different to our Board. We are deliberately looking across a wide range of sectors and different perspectives. You may not have held an NHS non-executive position before, but you will have considerable experience to draw on, the confidence to contribute at Board level and a real interest in the work we do.
I want both individuals to feel able to speak openly, question our assumptions and offer an independent view. We have a capable and committed leadership team, and I believe they deserve Board colleagues who will challenge and support them in equal measure. We are proud of the diversity of our workforce and the breadth of experience and perspectives our colleagues bring to the Trust. I want our Board to reflect that diversity, to understand the communities we serve and to benefit from voices and experiences that may not traditionally have been represented around NHS board tables.
I hope that, as you learn more about West Herts, you will share my enthusiasm for the organisation and what we can achieve. We have made enormous progress, and there is a real opportunity for two new colleagues to help us build on it.
Thank you again for your interest. I look forward to hearing from you.
Catherine Dugmore
Chair
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust -
Please click below to view the Role Descriptions:
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All applications must include:
A full curriculum vitae/resume
Quoting the relevant role reference number:
Non-Executive Director - A042568Associate Non-Executive Director - A042569
A covering letter highlighting the aspects of the job description and West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust that particularly attract you to the post (Microsoft Word or PDF document)
Contact details for three referees, these will not be contacted without your permission. (References should validate a minimum period of six years employment)
An Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form will be made available following submission of your application. Completion is voluntary, and applicants may select the “Prefer not to say” option for any or all questions *
Right to work checks
If you are successfully shortlisted, our partner, Yoti, will contact you to complete an online right to work check. This is a quick and secure process, ensuring that all necessary legal requirements are met before proceeding further in the recruitment process.
Monitoring
One of Alumni Global’s and West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s objectives is to ensure that its workforce is reflective of the local community and, therefore, we actively encourage applications from under-represented groups. To help us achieve these aims, we encourage all applicants to complete the “Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form”, which enables us to measure the effectiveness of our efforts. Completion is entirely voluntary, and applicants are welcome to select the “Prefer not to say” option for any or all questions if they do not wish to disclose certain information.
The Recruiting Manager does not have access to the Monitoring Information Sections of the application form at any stage of the process, and all information provided will be kept entirely confidential.
For a confidential discussion about either appointment please contact:
Thomas Patterson, Managing Director or David Heaton, Principal Researcher whose details can be found at the bottom of this microsite.
Reasonable Adjustments
If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made as part of the recruitment process please can you advise us so that we can ensure this is accommodated.
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Closing date: 21st December 2026
Interviews with Alumni Global: Early January
Stakeholders: Late January / Early February
Final Interviews: 3rd and 5th February 2027
Please ensure you have made a note of the final interview date(s). We recommend that you bookmark this microsite, as any potential updates regarding the role will be posted online.
Please take note of the reference number found under section “How to apply”. This is needed for us to process any application.
