News

Jackie Rooney has been appointed as Interim Chief Executive of Derian House.

Jackie is a Registered Nurse and Queen’s Nurse, with 46 years’ NHS experience and a strong track record of senior clinical, operational and strategic leadership.

A key priority for Jackie will be leading our work to strengthen clinical quality, safety and governance and to ensure that the care we provide for children and families is consistently excellent.

Working closely with Karen Smith and the wider team, Jackie will lead the implementation of the clinical changes and improvements recommended within the Niche report. As Interim Chief Executive, she will have overall accountability for the organisation.

Most recently, Jackie served as Associate Director of Nursing for Risk, Governance and Patient Safety at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. She has also held senior leadership roles at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, including Director of Nursing for the Acute Division and Head of Nursing and Safeguarding, as well as senior nursing leadership roles within NHS England.

Jackie will be at the hospice tomorrow (Wednesday, 2 September), to meet the team ahead of formally starting with us on Wednesday, 9 September.

Jackie will work two-and-a-half days per week, although her time is likely to be front-loaded initially, with more time spent on site as she gets to know Derian and begins this work.

To enable Jackie to give significant focus to our clinical services and the improvement programme, the Trustees have asked me to continue leading our non-clinical services.

This includes Finance, Facilities, IT, HR, Income Generation, Communications and Marketing, and Retail. I will also continue to lead our relationships with key external partners and stakeholders.

I am sure you will all join me in giving Jackie a warm Derian welcome. I know there will be lots of opportunities to meet her over the coming weeks, and I look forward to working with her as we continue to move Derian forward.