Chris Oliver Appointed New CEO of Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) has today (15 May) announced the appointment of Chris Oliver as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Chris joins GMMH from Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust where he has served as Chief Executive Officer since 2022.

Chris has previously held leadership roles at other providers including Chief Operating Officer at Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Director of Operations at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Chris said:

“I am delighted to be joining Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) later this year and becoming part of the wider Greater Manchester health and social care system. It is a region defined by a strong sense of place, deep and mature partnership working, and a shared commitment to improving mental health and wellbeing for local communities. I feel privileged to be able to contribute to this.

“It has been a real honour to lead mental health, learning disability, autism and community services across Lancashire and South Cumbria over the past six years. During that time, we have delivered sustained improvements in quality and safety, made demonstrable reductions in harm, and supported more people to receive care closer to home. A milestone moment for me was seeing colleagues’ efforts recognised by our CQC overall Trust rating of ‘Good’. I would like to thank colleagues across the Trust for making my time here so rewarding, and for the outstanding care they provide each day.

“I look forward to bringing my experience to GMMH, working with the Trust Board, colleagues across the organisation, service users and carers, and partners across Greater Manchester to deliver the Trust’s ambitious strategy and continue to improve outcomes for the communities we serve.”

GMMH Chair, Prof Tony Warne said:

“Supported by Gatenby Sanderson, we conducted a rigorous recruitment process from March to May and I was pleased to see that several high calibre individuals chose to apply for the role. This is further evidence that outstanding people want to join GMMH and play their part in ensuring our recovery continues at pace and we deliver our ambitious plans for the citizens of Greater Manchester.

“I was very impressed with Chris’s commitment to inclusive and kind leadership and his track record of taking a Trust to “Good”; I look forward to welcoming him to the team soon.”