New Chief Nurse Named For North Cumbrian Hospitals

A new senior healthcare leader has been appointed to oversee nursing, midwifery and allied health professional services across north Cumbria.

Sarah Glacken has been named as the incoming executive chief nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals officer at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust. She will take on the senior role as the organisation prepares for the retirement of its current chief nurse, Dr Gill Findley.

Ms Glacken is currently executive director of nursing and therapies at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust. She has held that position since 2023, bringing experience from a range of senior healthcare leadership responsibilities.

Her appointment will place her at the centre of the trust's work around professional practice, patient services and the wider delivery of healthcare across north Cumbria. The role is responsible for providing senior leadership across nursing, midwifery and allied health professional areas.

Alongside her new trust position, Ms Glacken has also been appointed as an honorary professor of practice at the University of Cumbria. The academic appointment forms part of a partnership involving the hospital trust, the university and the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine.

The partnership is intended to strengthen links between healthcare services and education. It will provide opportunities for professional development and closer collaboration between organisations involved in preparing and supporting the healthcare workforce.

Ms Glacken said she was pleased to be joining north Cumbria and described the opportunity to take on the professorship alongside her healthcare leadership role. She also highlighted her commitment to supporting staff and strengthening professional practice.

She said that ensuring the views of patients and carers influence the way services are delivered would be an important part of her approach. She also said she was looking forward to meeting colleagues, partners and patients across north Cumbria.

The appointment comes as Dr Gill Findley prepares to retire from her position as chief nurse. Dr Findley will remain involved during the transition period to support the change in leadership before Ms Glacken formally takes up the post.

Dr Findley has held the trust's executive chief nurse position and has extensive experience across different parts of healthcare. Her career has included nursing and operational leadership roles across several areas of England and a range of healthcare settings.

The transition will therefore involve the incoming chief nurse working alongside the existing leadership before taking full responsibility for the role. The arrangement is intended to support continuity across the trust's nursing and professional services.

Trust chief executive Trudie Davies welcomed Ms Glacken's appointment and said the organisation had secured an experienced chief nurse. She also pointed to the importance of the position within the trust and its work to improve services.

Ms Davies also highlighted the additional honorary professorship at the University of Cumbria. She said the dual appointment would further strengthen the partnership between the university and the trust as north Cumbria works towards sustainable improvements for patients and staff.

The new leadership arrangement comes at a time when healthcare organisations continue to focus on professional standards, workforce development and the experience of patients receiving care. The chief nurse role provides a senior link between these priorities and the trust's wider executive leadership.

Ms Glacken's arrival will also strengthen existing connections between healthcare practice and education in the region. Her professorship is expected to complement her executive responsibilities and contribute to the relationship between the trust, the university and the medical school.

The trust will now prepare for the leadership transition as Dr Findley moves towards retirement. Ms Glacken is expected to take up the new position in the near future, bringing her existing experience in nursing and therapies leadership to north Cumbria.

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