Sharon Allen OBE, currently CEO of Skills for Care, has been appointed as Chief Executive of Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, which supports people in Cambridgeshire living with a life-limiting illness and those who need end-of-life care.
Skills for Care supports 21,200 adult social care employers in England to improve the skills and knowledge of more than 1.47 million workers. Since joining there in 2010 Sharon has helped Skills for Care put workforce development issues at the heart of the fierce debate about the future of adult social care services. Sharon will take up her new role at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity in April.
“I wanted a new role that really embedded me in the local community where I live and this opportunity at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity offers me a chance to make sure that people across Cambridgeshire can access high quality palliative and end of life care services that meets their needs,” says Sharon Allen.
“Leading the highly skilled hospice team brings together my absolute commitment to local services with everything I have learnt throughout my career, particularly over the last nearly nine years at Skills for care.
“I have really valued the skills, knowledge and commitment of everyone who has worked at Skills for Care who have transformed us into the go to organisation for all workforce matters in adult social care. I know whoever succeeds me will be taking over an organisation that is in a very good place thanks to the tireless efforts of a hugely talented group of professionals who I will miss greatly.”
The Arthur Rank Hospice Charity announced in November 2018, that Dr. Lynn Morgan will retire as CEO at the end of March 2019. Dr Morgan, who has been in the current role for almost nine years has, with the support of the trustee board and colleagues, seen the charity embark on a remarkable journey. The number of employees has increased from five to 200, and the Charity has fundraised for, built and moved into a new purpose-built £10.5million facility at Shelford Bottom, leaving its original home on Mill Road.
Chair of Trustees, Isabel Napper added: “More than 30 applications were received for this highly respected role, and the trustees were delighted to appoint Sharon Allen OBE. We are thrilled to welcome Sharon to our team. Lynn Morgan, our current CEO has been responsible for so much and it is never possible to replace her, but I am confident that Sharon will write a new chapter in the Charity’s history. Sharon brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise from her national role and this will be of great benefit to the Hospice and the Hospice team.”
“Having lived in the City, Sharon understands the value of the work of the Hospice and the journey it has undertaken. It is important that we continue to evolve and innovate and that our patients and their families remain at the heart of all that we do. We are confident that Sharon is the person to achieve this. We are extremely sad to see Lynn go, but we wish her a long and happy retirement. On behalf of the Trustees, her colleagues, our patients, their families and our volunteers, we would like to thank Lynn for her endless enthusiasm, dedication and commitment to the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity and all that she has achieved during her time.”
Dr Lynn Morgan said: “It is going to be a big wrench to leave the Hospice, the wonderful people I have worked with, our volunteers, supporters and trustee board. However, I am confident the Board has made an excellent decision in appointing Sharon and I know I couldn’t leave the Hospice in safer hands”.