Hospital Chairman Awarded MBE in New Year’s Honours
The Chairman of Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital (LHCH) NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded an MBE in The Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.
Neil Large, who joined LHCH in 2006 as a non-executive director before becoming Trust Chairman seven years ago, received the award for services to the NHS and said he was honoured to have been given the award.
“I was humbled when I first heard the news, however it’s a great privilege to be given the award.”
“Since starting at Leighton Hospital back in 1972, I have been proud to work for, and with, many good people at all levels throughout the NHS during the past 45 years, including many wonderfully skilled and compassionate colleagues who provide hands-on care on a daily basis to patients and their families.”
Jane Tomkinson, Chief Executive at LHCH, congratulated Neil on his award adding that everyone at the hospital was ‘exceptionally proud’.
She said: “Neil is an excellent Chairman and leader. He offers Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital support, direction and unrivalled NHS experience gained over the course of almost half a century, whilst also placing the greatest emphasis on delivering compassionate care to all our patients and their families.
“We are delighted to see his continuing contribution and passion for the NHS acknowledged in this year’s honours.”
Before joining Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Neil was Director of Finance at the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority. He also spent time as Chief Executive of the Chester Health Authority and the Cheshire Family Health Services Authority.
Neil has been pivotal in driving Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital’s vision to be the best - a vision that was recognised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in September when it became the first specialist trust in the country to be rated ‘Outstanding’.
He has also been a non-executive director at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester for the past two years and was delighted when they were also rated ‘Outstanding’ following their CQC inspection in October.
He added: “To be associated with two of the country’s leading specialist hospitals in providing safe, high quality care and treatment to patients across the North West of England, North Wales, the Isle of Man and further afield, makes me enormously proud.”
Neil lives in Hargrave near Chester and is married with two children. He has also dedicated more than 20 years to the voluntary healthcare sector as a former trustee of Tarporley Cottage Hospital and currently with The Hospice of the Good Shepherd.