Chief Nurse Lenny Byrne Set to Leave
Chief Nurse Lenny Byrne is set to leave in May 2023 after leading nursing and allied health professionals at University Hospitals NHS Trust for four years.
Lenny, who joined in 2019 as Interim Chief Nurse, has played an important part in leading the organisation’s response to COVID-19, including the management of inpatient wards for those with COVID and the rollout of public and staff vaccination. He has also overseen the transformation of senior nursing and allied health professional roles, including advancing the function of Advanced Clinical Practitioners and overseeing the development of multiple specialist practice services, now led by nurses and therapists.
Lenny, who is relocating back to London for family reasons, said: “I came here as Interim and will have stayed four years to the day when I leave in May. I have loved my time here and there are so many people who have supported me – my executive colleagues, our matrons, ward managers and professional service leads – who I will want to thank before I leave. I am thankful for all the opportunities that I’ve had to lead, manage and continuously learn here and I will take that away with me and apply it in future roles.
“But if there is one thing I would like to bottle from Plymouth, it’s the ability to maintain such compassionate care, rated Outstanding by the CQC, despite all the challenges continually faced. That really is quite special and I’m grateful to be part of it. Through winter and spring I will continue as I have done the past three and a half years – giving everything I can to the Trust, our patients and my colleagues.”
Ann James, Chief Executive, said: “Lenny has made an outstanding contribution to UHP during his time here and has always been focused on providing the best care for our patients throughout and including the pandemic. I wish him every success for the future, I know we will all miss him very much.”
Work will now start to find and appoint a successor for Lenny.
