The trust that runs Grantham Hospital has today announced a major appointment.

Simon Evans is now the Chief Operating Officer of the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT).

Simon has been working at the Trust as interim Chief Operating Officer since January 2020 and has been leading Trust operations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Simon has previously held various senior healthcare management roles throughout the NHS over the past 20 years, in operational as well as informatics and strategic planning roles.

Prior to that, Simon has worked in director, deputy and general manager roles at North West Anglia, Nottingham University Hospitals, Circle Healthcare, Sherwood Forest Hospitals and University Hospitals Leicester.

His experience has seen him lead transformation programmes to improve urgent and elective care, including redesigning hospital-wide inpatient services, and delivering new services, such as the East Midlands Major Trauma Centre at NUH.

As Chief Operating Officer for ULHT Simon leads on the operational running of the hospitals and delivery, as well estates and facilities.

Chief Executive, Andrew Morgan, said: "Simon's substantive appointment as Chief Operating Officer is great news for the Trust and our patients. Simon has the ability to keep a hospital running especially in the current difficult times and will oversee some significant improvements such as our new A&Es and the medical school link."