Publish date: 15 February 2024
AWP Chair Charlotte Hitchings has announced plans to leave the role later this year, as her third term draws to a close.
Charlotte joined AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) as Chair in 2016 and will leave the role in August 2024. The recruitment process for a new AWP Chair starts later this month (February).
“I am proud of the transformation we have seen at Board level, and we now have a strong, stable and more diverse Board that role models compassion and challenges the organisation to continue to make progress,” said Charlotte.
“I think we have also made significant strides in how we involve service users, families/carers, people with a lived experience, and our own staff not just in the planning and delivery of care, but in all the decisions we take. This has been a key priority for us over recent years and I am really pleased that we now have such a diverse set of views and experiences driving the Trust forward.”
Charlotte, who lives near Bristol, thanked partners across the local systems for their support over the last 8 years, and reserved particular praise for the staff at AWP who she was “humble and proud to work alongside.”
“Our teams work incredibly hard, sometimes in very tough circumstances and they should never underestimate the contribution they make. I am proud to have worked alongside so many wonderful colleagues during my time as Chair at AWP and hope I have made a positive difference alongside them too.
“There is a lot more work to do and no doubt more challenges to come, but the leadership team and staff here at AWP give me confidence that we will rise to those challenges and continue the progress we’ve made.”
Dominic Hardisty, Chief Executive at AWP, said: “I will miss Charlotte when she leaves in August. She hired me, has coached me through some tough times, and been a ‘critical friend’ that I have valued. Her understanding of NHS governance is exemplary and her heart beats for those suffering from serious mental illness. She will be a hard act to follow.”
An announcement of a new Chair is expected over the coming months.
