Cumbrian health chief rewarded with an honorary professorship

28 January 2019

Stephen Eames receives distinguished title from UCLan

A Cumbrian health chief has been rewarded for his leadership and support by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).

Stephen Eames, Chief Executive at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust and Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, has been awarded an Honorary Professorship.

He has been recognised not only for his achievements in the field of leadership but also for the support he has given to UCLan’s Cumbria-based Medical School. He has helped set up the foundations for the University’s National Centre for Remote and Rural Medicine, based at Whitehaven, and has facilitated the growth of the activities at UCLan’s Medical School, based at Westlakes.

Professor Eames said: “I am delighted to have been awarded an Honorary Professorship from UCLan. Our partnership working has proved to be vital in growing our workforce for the future in north Cumbria, particularly in west Cumbria. This has included the training and development of physician associates and we have recently welcomed the first cohort of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery students who have started their placements in west Cumbria.

"We are delighted he has offered to provide his vital input into the development and delivery of our leadership programmes as his knowledge will be invaluable to help the next generation."

“UCLan shares our ambition of making this region the place to study, work and live and I now look forward to further strengthening our relationship as we progress plans to incorporate education and training facilities into the further redevelopment of West Cumberland Hospital.”

Professor Cathy Jackson, UCLan Executive Dean of the Faculty of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, said: “This is a very well-deserved accolade for Professor Eames. Not only has he dedicated more than 40 years of his working life to the NHS, he has been a constant supporter of ours with the development and implementation of our Medical School in Cumbria.

“We are delighted he has offered to provide his vital input into the development and delivery of our leadership programmes as his knowledge will be invaluable to help the next generation.”

During his distinguished career, he has successfully led large-scale mergers, organisational turnaround and major health system reconfigurations in London, the North West and the North East of England.

He took up his current role with North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust in January 2016. By September 2017, he was also named the chief executive of Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust as well as the lead for the North Cumbria Integrated Health & Care System.

Throughout his work he has developed an understanding of leadership and management, and has focussed on strategic development, partnership working and organisational change. He also has a longstanding interest in coaching and mentoring and work with clients from both the public and private sector.