ANN Marr has announced that she is to step down from her role as chief at Whiston and St Helens Hospitals.

The chief executive of Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has been at the helm of the local hospitals for more than 20 years.

Joining the Trust in 2003, Ms Marr was the driving force behind the building of the new Whiston and St Helens hospitals, replacing the old Victorian estate with world-class healthcare facilities.

Under her leadership the trust won numerous national awards, achieved an "outstanding" rating from the CQC and was recognised as the "best Trust in the NHS" by the Health Service Journal.

She also guided the hospitals and their teams through the immense challenges of the Covid pandemic.

In recent years, the St Helens and Knowsley NHS Trust and the trust cover Southport and Ormskirk have come together under the Mersey and West Lancashire banner.

Whiston HospitalWhiston Hospital

In a statement, Ms Marr said: “After 44 years in the NHS, I have decided the time has come to take life a little easier.

“It has been the most tremendous privilege to work with such wonderful, talented people and to serve our community. I would like to thank every single member of staff for their care, compassion and kindness.

“I am confident that the trust’s future is bright and the services we provide will continue to be amongst the best in the country.”

Richard Fraser, chairman of the Trust said: “Ann is quite simply a truly inspirational Chief Executive.

"She has dedicated her entire career to delivering the highest quality services for patients and an excellent working environment for staff.

“She has worked tirelessly to develop a positive culture throughout all of the organisations she has led, ensuring they are kind, transparent and accountable, never being afraid to challenge the status quo and breaking down barriers.

“Ann’s unwavering commitment to delivering 5 star patient care has seen her recognised as one of the top NHS chief executives in the country.

"Ann leaves the NHS a better place, and we are grateful for everything she has contributed. She will be greatly missed by us all.”