November 13, 2026 - 117 views
The chief executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is leaving after three and a half years to take charge of another NHS organisation in England.
Carol Shillabeer has been appointed Chief Executive of Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust and is expected to take up the position early in the new year.
She joined the North Wales health board as interim chief executive in May 2023, at a particularly difficult time for the organisation, which had been placed back into special measures following concerns about the quality and safety of services, leadership and financial management.
During her time in charge, the health board has been working to improve its performance and restore confidence in an organisation which serves around 700,000 people across North Wales.
However, significant challenges have remained, including long waiting times for planned treatment, pressure on emergency departments, difficulties accessing some services and ongoing financial pressures.
Health Board Chair Dyfed Edwards congratulated Ms Shillabeer on her new appointment, saying she had provided committed and determined leadership during an exceptionally challenging period.
He said considerable work remained to be done and confirmed the board would now consider the appropriate leadership arrangements for the future.
Ms Shillabeer said it had been an enormous privilege to lead the organisation and that she was proud of what colleagues had achieved during a demanding period.
She paid tribute to staff across North Wales, highlighting their commitment to patients, families and communities.
She will remain in post until she takes up her new position early next year.
Betsi Cadwaladr says it will announce interim and longer-term leadership arrangements in due course.
