This is an exceptional opportunity to lead one of the most ambitious community health and care organisations in England.

East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust serves a population of 3.5 million people across the East of England through a workforce of more than 7,000 colleagues. Delivering care in people's homes, communities, clinics and community hospitals, we are united by a simple but powerful purpose: to deliver great health and care services in our local communities.

At a pivotal moment in our development, and as an aspirant Advanced Foundation Trust, we are seeking an outstanding Chair to help shape the next chapter of our journey. Community health and care services have never been more important in helping people stay well, maintain their independence and in ensuring the future of sustainability NHS and we are ambitious about the role we can play in transforming lives and building healthier communities together.

As Chair, you will lead the Board, ensuring the Trust remains well-governed, strategically focused and accountable for delivering outstanding care and value. Working closely with the Chief Executive, Executive Team and system partners, you will provide inclusive leadership, champion our values and support the delivery of our long-term strategy. You will also play a key role in strengthening partnerships across health, care, local government, education and the voluntary sector, helping to shape innovative neighbourhood-based models of care.

We are looking for an inspiring and credible leader with:

• A strategic mindset and the ability to influence change across complex systems.
• A track record of building productive partnerships and stakeholder relationships.
• A deep understanding of the connection between culture, colleague experience and quality of care.
• Strong governance, stewardship and leadership skills, coupled with sound judgement and emotional intelligence.

Whether your experience has been gained within healthcare, the public sector, business, education, local government or the voluntary sector, you will share our commitment to improving outcomes for local people and championing inclusive, compassionate leadership.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a lasting difference to millions of people, working alongside an experienced Board, talented executive team and dedicated workforce. If you are motivated by improving lives, enabling healthier communities and leading with purpose, we would welcome your application.

For an informal and confidential discussion, please contact GatenbySanderson.

Closing date: 9am Monday 19th October 2026

Final Interviews: Friday 13th November 2026

Melanie Shearer, Partner

E: melanie.shearer@gatenbysanderson.com

T: +44 (0) 7785 616 548

Julia St Clare, Senior Consultant

E: julia.stclare@gatenbysanderson.com

T: +44 (0) 7807 631 564

Joanna Riley, Principal Research Consultant

E: Joanna.Riley@gatenbysanderson.com

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Documents

Fit and Proper Person Declaration - New.docx

Recruitment Timetable

Closing date
9am Monday 19th October

Final panel
Friday 13th November 2026

How to Apply

• Please submit an up to date copy of your CV, along with a Supporting Statement that addresses the criteria set out in the person specification, using examples to demonstrate how you meet the essential requirements.
• A completed fit and proper person form - the template can be downloaded from the same place as the job description.
• Detail any employment or education gaps.
• You should provide the names, positions, organisations, and contact details for your referees, which must be your line managers and include your current and most recent employer. The referees should cover at least two roles as the minimum. Please note, should you be appointed, you will be required to provide references covering your last 6 years of employment as per the new NHS Fit and Proper Person regulations. Where there have been gaps in employment, this six year period will be extended accordingly. Referees will only be contacted for those proceeding to the final stage - we will always gain your permission before we contact referees.
• Let us know any difficulty you may have with the indicative timetable.
• Check that your contact details are correct before you submit.

Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automated email to confirm that you have applied. If you do not receive this email, please make contact with GatenbySanderson.

Acceptable use of AI

Candidates may use AI tools to support proofreading, editing and presentation. However, all application materials should represent the candidate's own experience, perspectives and leadership thinking. We are seeking original and authentic responses, and applicants should ensure that any submission reflects their own analysis, judgement and vision for the role.