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New Health Service Chairman for Wolverhampton

The new chairman of The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust is well known local health chief Barry Picken. The new chairman of The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust is well known local health chief Barry Picken.  He takes up the £23,366 per year part-time new appointment on 1 September 2010 for a period of 4 years until 31 August 2014.  The appointment has been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice.

Barry who lives in Wolverhampton has been involved in healthcare in the city since 2002, when he became a non executive director of Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust (PCT).  He became chair of the PCT in 2006, a role he stands down from to take up this new post.


Mr Picken said: “I am delighted to be taking up the role as chairman of The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust (RWHT) at such an exciting and challenging time. The NHS is about to enter a period of substantial challenge and I am very conscious of the responsibility of leading the Hospital at this time.  In the coming months the Hospital has to achieve Foundation Trust status as well as deliver the Transforming Community Services agenda involving the transfer of over 1,000 staff and services from the PCT to the Hospital. During my time as chairman of the PCT I have been very proud of the committed and dedicated staff who have delivered many firsts for healthcare in the UK.  The City of Wolverhampton has been well served by the Primary Care Trust”.

Chief Executive, David Loughton said: “I would like to take this opportunity to warmly welcome Barry as our new Chairman here at the Trust.  His experience in the community and voluntary sectors will be really important in supporting us to improve services for patients.  It is an excellent appointment for everyone concerned.  I am particularly pleased at his appointment because of the reassurance it should give to the 1,000 staff that will transfer from the PCT to RWHT as part of the Government’s initiative on transforming community services.  We will also benefit from the fact that Barry has got a wealth of experience in the management of these services”.

As well as his PCT appointment Mr Picken was chairman of Wolverhampton’s All Saints and Blakenhall Community Development (ABCD) for three years until January 2006.  He is a lay assessor for the General Medical Council and was a member of the Royal College of Physicians training sub-committee. He is vice chairman of Accord Housing Association.

In 1983 he was appointed to the Dudley Council for Voluntary Service and in 1988 head of community affairs with the newly established Black Country Urban Development Corporation and in 1992 he was appointed general manager with responsibility for social policy, environmental and voluntary sector activity and support for industry. He was regional director of the RSA in Birmingham from 1998 until 2002.  He is a magistrate and has been a school governor and a member of the West Midlands Police Authority.

All Chairman appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees political activity (if any declared) to be made public.  Mr. Picken has not declared any political activity in the last five years.

Other ministerial appointments held by Mr. Picken:  Staffordshire and West Mercia Courts Board 1 October 2004 to 30 September 2012 - £1,500 per annum.