East Cheshire NHS Trust has announced its new chief executive officer.

Following a robust recruitment process conducted alongside regional healthcare partners, Zara Jones will officially take up the post on October 1, 2026.

She succeeds Ged Murphy, who is retiring at the end of July.

Aislinn O'Dwyer, chair of East Cheshire NHS Trust, said: "We are delighted to welcome Zara to our trust.

"She is a compassionate leader who places patient care and staff support at the heart of everything she does.

"Zara strongly believes in the power of listening, building meaningful relationships, and working collaboratively with patients, colleagues, local communities, and our wider health partners.

"She will play a pivotal role in delivering our refreshed trust strategy, steering us through our next stage of development, and working closely with our partners across Cheshire and Merseyside to navigate ongoing financial and operational pressures."

Zara joins East Cheshire from Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where she currently serves as acting chief executive officer.

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She brings a wealth of senior leadership experience from across various NHS Trusts and integrated care systems, with a proven track record of driving operational improvement, transformation, and partnership working.

To cover the brief interim period before October, John Hunter, the trust's current deputy chief executive and chief medical officer, will step up as acting chief executive officer.