Chief Officer to retire after 40 year NHS career

Lesley Mort

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Lesley Mort, Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale (HMR) Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) Chief Officer will retire at the end of the year, after a 40 year NHS career.

Born in Yorkshire, Lesley’s NHS career has spanned 40 years. She graduated as a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) in 1975 and then she took up her first NHS post at North Manchester General and Booth Hall Hospitals.

In 1977 Lesley’s career brought her to Rochdale when the SLT service was being set up, where she worked in hospitals and clinics in the area.

Lesley, who has an MA in Health Services Management, was appointed as SLT Manager in 1982 until 1989, when she took up a post of Assistant Unit General Manager for Community Services in Rochdale Healthcare Trust until 1992.

She also developed an interest and expertise in quality improvement during this time and co-ordinated the Trust’s quality management programme.

From 1992 to 2002, she managed Rochdale Trust’s Allied Healthcare Professionals (AHP) and Health Care Scientists services across the Borough, and also held a seconded part- time appointment as Clinical Governance Co-ordinator for the Trust from 1999.

From April 2002, she was appointed as the Director of Community Services for Rochdale Primary Care Trust (PCT), before transferring to HMR PCT in 2006 as Director of Commissioning. Then in 2013 at HMR CCG’s inception, Lesley was appointed as the CCG’s Chief Officer.

“I have lived and worked locally for most of my career so I know the Rochdale borough well,” said Lesley. “Local people have such a lot to offer to its plans for a prosperous future, and the CCG has received positive support and some great ideas from people from all parts of our communities to help us commission the best services we can.”

Although she is looking forward to a well-deserved rest after 40 years service, retirement will be bittersweet for Lesley as she reflects on a wonderful, fulfilling career in the NHS, she said:

“I will feel a sense of sadness when I leave such a great place to work and I will miss all the people I have worked with, but I hope I leave a positive legacy for the future. So, a big thank you to everyone I have worked with in the last 40 years and I wish you all every success.”

Dr Chris Duffy, Chairman of the CCG, paid tribute to Lesley on behalf of everyone, he said: “Lesley has been an outstanding ambassador for HMR CCG and the NHS in general over her fantastic career with the service. And, despite how much we are likely to miss her, we hope she relishes her well earned retirement.

Simon Wootton has been appointed to HMR CCG as Lesley’s successor and will join the CCG in January 2016.