Executive Directors
Meet our Senior Directors below.
Janelle Holmes, Chief Executive
Janelle was appointed as Joint Chief Executive for Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (WUTH) and Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (WCHC) in November 2024 having been previously Chief Executive at WUTH since June 2018. Prior to joining Wirral University Teaching Hospital, Janelle was the Director of Operations and Performance at Salford Royal Foundation Trust.
Janelle has worked in the NHS since qualifying as a Registered General Nurse in 1991. During her nursing career she worked in a variety of clinical areas, moving into operational management in 2004 following a spell as a ‘health economy’ service transformation lead. Janelle is passionate about service improvement, staff development and whole system working to improve patient outcomes and experience.
Dr Nicola Stevenson, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Chief Executive
Dr Nicola (Nikki) Stevenson qualified as a doctor from The University of Liverpool (MBChB). She undertook her training throughout Cheshire and Merseyside during which time she obtained a Medical Doctorate (MD) which is a higher research degree awarded to medical professionals. She originally joined Wirral University Teaching Hospital (WUTH) NHS Foundation Trust as a junior doctor and was appointed as a Consultant in Respiratory & General (Internal) Medicine in 2007.
Dr Stevenson's extensive career with WUTH has seen her progress within our services from Clinical Service Lead for Respiratory Medicine (2015) to the role of Associate Medical Director for the Division of Medicine (2018) and then later in 2018 she was appointed Executive Medical Director. She also became Deputy Chief Executive in 2020. In November 2025 she was appointed Joint Chief Medical Officer of WUTH and Wirral Community Health and Social Care (WCHC) NHS Foundation Trust.
Dr Stevenson retains her clinical practice, seeing patients in her field of respiratory medicine in clinic and as part of the respiratory consultant on call rota. She also has executive oversight of the WUTH Research and Innovation portfolio and its cohort of Principal Investigators for clinical trials.
In addition, Dr Stevenson is the executive lead for Medical Education responsible for the teaching and training of medical students from the University of Liverpool and doctors (‘junior’ doctors, or doctors in training). WUTH is the only teaching hospital on the Wirral and trains hundreds of students and doctors every year.
She lives locally with her family on the Wirral.
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Hayley Kendall, Executive Managing Director
Hayley was appointed Joint Executive Managing Director for Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (WUTH) and Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (WCHC) in November 2025. Previous to this, Hayley held the position of Chief Operating Officer at WUTH since January 2022.
Hayley was also Chief Operating Officer at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital (LHCH). Prior to the role at LHCH, Hayley was Divisional Head of Operations for Surgery and Clinical Services at LHCH, having joined the Trust from WUTH in June 2015, where she served as Deputy Divisional Director. Hayley also spent 12 years at the Countess of Chester Hospital in a broad range of operational management roles.
Mark Chidgey, Chief Finance Officer
Mark was appointed Joint Chief Finance Officer for Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (WUTH) and Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (WCHC) in November 2025. He has served as Chief Finance Officer at WUTH since June 2022, having previously been Chief Finance Officer for NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups in Wirral and Stockport.
A qualified accountant and graduate of the University of York, Mark has worked in the NHS since 1990 and has extensive experience across both acute and commissioning sectors. He has worked at board level for more than a decade, predominantly in finance leadership roles, with previous portfolios also covering Quality, Safeguarding, Commissioning and Performance.
Mark brings significant experience of partnership working across health and care systems and has contributed at a national level to the development and implementation of payment systems and outcomes frameworks for population health.
Matthew Swanborough, Chief Strategy Officer
Matthew was appointed as Joint Chief Strategy Officer for Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (WUTH) and Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (WCHC) in November 2025. Previous to this, Matthew held the position of Chief Strategy Officer at WUTH since November 2019.
Prior to joining WUTH, Matthew held a number of leadership positions at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, including Turnaround Director, Director of Corporate Resilience and Director of Operations at Manchester Infirmary.
Before this, Matthew worked as a Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Sydney, Australia, leading on clinical improvements, financial recovery and mergers with a range of public and private healthcare organisations.
Matthew has also held several senior leadership roles in hospitals across New South Wales, Australia.
Debs Smith, Chief People Officer
Deborah was appointed as Joint Chief People Officer for Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (WUTH) and Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (WCHC) in October 2024. Previous to this, Deborah held the position of Chief People Officer at WUTH since December 2021 after joining the Trust in March that year.
Deborah has worked in the NHS for over 15 years, coming through the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme. Deborah has worked as a Human Resources and Organisational Development professional in several other NHS Trusts and prior to joining WUTH, she worked as the Deputy Chief People Officer at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Trust.
Deborah is passionate about supporting and developing our staff to make WUTH and WCHC a great place to work and to keep patients at heart of what we do.
Dr Joanne Chwalko - Chief Integration and Partnerships Officer
Jo was appointed as Joint Chief Integration and Partnerships Officer for Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (WUTH) and Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (WCHC) in November 2025. Prior to this, Jo was the Chief Operating Officer at WCHC from 2022, and took on the dual role of Director of Integration across both trusts from July 2024.
Jo is a registered nurse with extensive clinical and operational experience, beginning her career in the acute sector with a focus on women’s health. She has held leadership roles across nursing, therapies, social care, and children’s services within community services, built on experience spanning frontline practice and senior operational leadership. Jo has significant experience in system collaboration and has led a range of integration programmes across Wirral.
Jo completed her Professional Doctorate in Health and Social Care in 2019. She is a Queen’s Nurse and a registered Health Visitor, and has previously served as a specialist advisor to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Alison Hughes - Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications
Alison has worked in the NHS, and in Wirral, for over 15 years providing leadership and advice to NHS Boards of Directors on all matters associated with corporate governance.
She has a sound understanding of the regulatory and political environment in which NHS organisations operate and provides leadership on all matters of corporate governance ensuring all statutory duties are met. She is also responsible for the Communications & Marketing strategies for the trust and has Executive leadership for the WUTH Charity.
Alison also provides advice and regulatory guidance to Councils of Governors.
Alison previously worked in the pharmaceutical industry and brings a sound understanding and almost 10 years’ experience working in the commercial healthcare sector.
Alison was appointed to the position of Joint Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications in November 2025 for both WCHC and WUTH.
