Episode 11. Backstage with: Sarah-Jane Marsh

The Next GenCast

Our *Christmas special* is a fireside chat with the wonderful Sarah-Jane Marsh, CEO of Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital.

Sarah-Jane joined the NHS via the Graduate Management Scheme. Appointed Chief Operating Officer at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in December 2007, and Chief Executive just over a year later, whilst still only 32, the Trust has been under her leadership for 12 years and was named ‘Provider Trust of the Year’ by the Health Service Journal in 2015, and rated Outstanding by the CQC in February 2017.

In 2015, Sarah-Jane took on the additional role of Chief Executive of Birmingham Women’s, before going on to integrate the two Trusts to create the first Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in Europe in little more than 18 months. In 2016, Sarah-Jane was asked to head-up the NHS England Maternity Transformation Programme, which aims to make maternity care across England safer, and more personalised.

More recently, she was asked by the Government to lead the testing aspect of their Covid-19 'Test and Trace' programme.

In this episode, Sarah-Jane talks candidly about her recent experience working for the Government, reflects on how she coped when her resilience hit rock bottom, and shares some of the lessons she's learnt on her leadership journey so far...

*Highlights:

• What it was like being asked to lead for 'Test and Trace' (3 mins)
• Managing life at home alongside that responsibility (6.5 mins)
• Lessons learnt from that role (11.5 mins)
• How her resilience hit rock bottom (13 mins)
• Her journey to CEO (19 mins)
• Managing imposter syndrome (23 mins)
• Her proudest moments (27 mins)
• What she'd like to achieve over the next 10 years (30 mins)
• How she balances being a mum (34 mins)
• How she copes with abuse on Twitter (40 mins)
• Her final recommended resources, role model, and top tips fo new leaders (42 mins)

*Resources:

• Jess Phillips' first book that Sarah-Jane mentions when she talks about imposter syndrome
• Our podcast episode with Sir Bruce Keogh, Sarah-Jane's Chairman at Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital

*Social media:

• @BWCHBoss
• @NextGGP

*Subscribe to the Next Gen GP monthly bulletin to keep in the loop about future webinars, podcast episodes, and our virtual programmes:

• bit.ly/NGGPbulletin

Wishing you all a safe and happy Christmas, and we will be back in 2021!

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