Simon Barton returned to UHL in June 2022 as Deputy Chief Executive, bringing 26 years of NHS experience across acute hospitals in London, Liverpool, and the East Midlands. Before rejoining UHL, he was Chief Operating Officer at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where the Trust was named HSJ Acute/ Specialist Trust of the Year and its main site was rated Outstanding by the CQC. Under his leadership, SFH also achieved third place out of 119 NHS acute trusts in the 2021 NHS Staff Survey.
At UHL, Simon leads the Trust’s new hospitals programme, reconfiguration, strategy, and planning, while also deputising for the Chief Executive. He is committed to delivering sustainable, high-quality services that meet the needs of Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland’s diverse communities.