Director appointed to deliver flagship hospital in Manchester

The estimated £60m hospital build planned for the city, has reached the next phase of its delivery with this newly created role and is part of the healthcare provider’s Manchester-wide wellbeing strategy.

Barbara Baker, currently Hospital Director of Nuffield Health’s Derby hospital, will take up the Market Director role on January 1st, 2015.

Barbara will oversee the physical development of the site, adjacent to the Manchester Royal Infirmary, into a tertiary level hospital and rehabilitation centre. She will also be responsible for developing an integrated wellbeing programme designed to improve the health outcomes of those living and working in the Manchester region.

Nuffield Health purchased the former Elizabeth Gaskell Campus complex from Manchester Metropolitan University in July, and took possession of the site in September. The five acre site will provide scope for a wide range of facilities in the state-of-the-art hospital, including rehabilitation and preventative health services – essential for Nuffield Health’s integrated health focus.

The new hospital in the heart of the Corridor Manchester area will support Nuffield Health’s other facilities in Manchester – including a planned health assessment centre in the recently acquired Print works-based gym and the medical centre at Salford Quays. The Manchester Market Director role will be instrumental in helping to deliver Nuffield Health’s vision of fully integrated hospital and wellbeing services across Manchester and the North West.

Speaking about her appointment, Barbara Baker said her key objective was to help the people of Manchester get healthy and stay healthy:

“As a charity, we are committed to raising health standards across all communities. That is why a major part of my role is dedicated to working with and supporting health – related researchers at the city’s two universities as well as the skilled NHS and private sector clinicians based in the Corridor Manchester area.

“Nuffield Health’s wellbeing model is breaking new ground in the health sector, and attracting attention of national health planners in Whitehall. I am excited that the ground breaking work is happening in Manchester and I am looking forward to delivering it to the city.”

“The new hospital is just one part of the integrated approach to health we are taking in Manchester. Our health assessment centres planned for sites across the city region are designed to prevent health issues and promote wellness, while the hospital and its remarkable facilities will be for when health problems do arise.”

Final designs for the hospital facilities are being developed and Nuffield Health expects to submit plans to Manchester City Council for approval in spring 2015.Speaking about the appointment, Nuffield Health’s Hospitals Managing Director, KP Doyle, said:

“I am delighted that Barbara Baker will take up the role of Market Director in Manchester. Her appointment could not be better deserved, and I am pleased that we have this pool of talent to draw on internally within Nuffield Health. Barbara brings with her a wealth of experience, with a background in healthcare as a former intensive care nurse turned entrepreneur who has successfully run multiple site operations. She joins Manchester with many years of Hospital Director expertise to draw on, having brought continued growth and investment to our Derby Hospital, while turning the site into one of the highest performing Nuffield hospitals. The Manchester Market Director is an important and strategic role and I have no doubt that the project is in superb hands. I know that Barbara will grasp this amazing opportunity and her experience, personality and energy will be warmly welcomed by our new partners and colleagues in Manchester.”

Last updated Monday 21 March 2016

First published on Thursday 6 November 2014