The East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) has welcomed a new Chairperson, NHS England has confirmed.

Shazad Sarwar, who was a Non-Executive Director (NED) at ELHT previously, will join the Trust Board in December.

Shazad, who lives in Pendle, was appointed following an assessment led by NHSE in line with the national NHS constitution.

He said: “I have lived in East Lancashire with my family since a teenager and I am proud to now be Chair of our local NHS Trust.

"I am passionate about our community, about healthcare and making sure we put people at the centre of our services and their development. I am looking forward to working with everyone at ELHT."

Chief Executive Martin Hodgson said: “One of the things that struck us all universally was not just Shazad’s experience but his enthusiasm for the role, the NHS and the area. He has an incredible amount of experience and expertise and I am delighted to have the opportunity to work closely with him again."

Formerly Deputy Chair of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, where he led the CQC Board Assurance Committee, following their Care Quality Commission inspection, Shazad was most recently appointed as NED on the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB) in February 2022 and chairs both the Remuneration Committee and the People and Committee.

He has also been a NED at neighbouring mental health and community Trust Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCft) since December 2018, where he is the Chair of the Finance and Resources Committee and board lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

Outside of the NHS itself, Shazad also holds a range of portfolio roles including NED of Together Housing Group since 2021, Independent Member of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation Audit Committee since 2019 and Lay Member of the Lord Chancellors Magistrates Advisory Committee for Cumbria and Lancashire since 2016.

He was also an Independent Member of the Lancashire Police Authority, where he led on strategic planning and performance, and is now Managing Director at a niche consultancy specialising in strategic support and advice to the private, public and third sectors across the UK and Europe.