More than two decades after giving birth to her sons at South Tyneside District Hospital, businesswoman Allison Thompson has been named the new chairwoman of the board at the NHS Trust which runs the hospital.
Ms Thompson, 57, will replacing the retiring John Anderson in the role overseeing the work of the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust.
The former Northern Rock executive steps up after serving as vice-chair of the board - she first became a non-executive director of the South Tyneside NHS Trust in 2012.
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Marking the new role - which she'll take up on April 1 - Ms Thompson said: "First of all, I want to thank staff for all they have done, particularly during the most recent challenging time and through the difficulties of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"They have shown resilience and fortitude during this period and I am confident we can, together, make sure we emerge and recover even stronger for the future.
"I have been particularly proud of the fantastic services in our community as well as in our hospitals and I’ve seen first-hand the outstanding work of our staff.
"I believe passionately in the ethos of the NHS and look forward to continuing to move forward to offer the best possible care for people across South Tyneside and Sunderland."
Hebburn-raised, Ms Thompson's attended St Joseph's Catholic Academy, while her sons Nick, 23, and Matthew, 27, were both born in South Tyneside District Hospital.
Trust chief executive Ken Bremner said: "I am delighted to continue working with Allison in her new role as chair and as we build on the strong foundations we've put in place since becoming South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust.
"Listening to our incredible staff and what they are telling us and putting the needs of our patients first is at the heart of everything we do.
"We fully recognise there is always more we can do and welcome Allison’s expertise and support as we strive to deliver excellence in all that we do."
Mr Anderson had led the board since its foundation after the merger of NHS trusts in Sunderland and South Tyneside in 2019.
Before that, he had been chairman of the board at the City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Trust since 2008.
Non-executive director David Barnes is also stepping down from the hospital trust board - and chief exec Ken Bremner paid tribute to them both.
He said: "I would like to say a heartfelt thank you on behalf of the Board, our Council of Governors and everyone at the Trust, to John and David for the roles they have played in making our organisation what it is today.
"Their leadership and commitment to patient care has been unrelenting over many years of service and we wish them all the very best for the future."
