Jane Bailey appointed as new Chair of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust is pleased to confirm the appointment of Jane Bailey as its new Chair. Jane will officially take up the role from 1 June 2025, succeeding Sir Norman Lamb, who retired in March after five years of dedicated service.
Jane brings a wealth of experience from both the NHS and the private sector. She has served as Deputy Chair at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust since 2023 and previously held leadership roles at University Hospitals Southampton NHSFT, where she also acted as Interim Chair. Jane began her career at GlaxoSmithKline, spending more than 20 years in senior roles, including as Commercial Vice-President in Research and Development.
In addition to her corporate and NHS experience, Jane led the Hampshire and Isle of Wight COVID-19 Saliva Testing Programme as CEO during the pandemic and has worked extensively in health policy and strategy development, including through her work with Healthwatch Portsmouth.
Jane holds an MSc in Public Health from King’s College London, with a focus on public engagement and the social determinants of health.
Speaking about her appointment, Jane Bailey said: “I am both honoured and excited to be joining and working with the impressive team at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. I am incredibly passionate about hearing directly from people with lived experience of mental health using our services, carers, and our diverse communities—and bringing their stories to the Board to help shape the Trust’s next chapter, especially around community transformation.
I am looking forward to collaborating with our partners across the health and social care system, and working alongside our local communities through programmes like South London Listens to help bring about the change needed to prevent mental ill-health. The work that the Trust has been doing to tackle anti-racism is vital, and I will be taking a keen interest in the progress we are making. The exciting work the Trust is doing in the research and innovation space —combining clinical and academic excellence to improve patient care — will be of huge importance to how we deliver care and treatment to the people who use our services.”
David Bradley, Chief Executive at South London and Maudsley, welcomed Jane's appointment by the Council of Governors: " On behalf of everyone at the Trust, I’d like to warmly congratulate Jane on her appointment and welcome her to South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Jane brings an outstanding track record in strategy, leadership and public engagement, and shares our focus on putting the experiences of service users and carers at the centre of everything we do. Her insight and experience will be invaluable as we look to shape the next phase of our strategy and build on our role as a leader in mental health across the UK and internationally.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Sir Norman Lamb for his leadership, wisdom and unwavering advocacy for mental health during his time as Chair. His contribution has left a lasting legacy.”
Jim Canning, Lead Governor, added: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Jane as our new Chair. Her background in public health, innovation and inclusive leadership stood out to the Council of Governors, and we’re really looking forward to working with her. This is a pivotal time for the Trust, and we’re confident that Jane’s experience, energy and values will be a great asset as we continue our work to support patients, staff and communities across south London.”
