Our senior leaders

Our Trust Board comprises non-executive and executive directors who are jointly responsible for the effective management of Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust. 

Led by the Chair, our non-executive directors use their knowledge, skills and experience to help the Board formulate Trust strategies, and support and promote a healthy organisational culture. They hold the Board to account by challenging its decisions and outcomes to make sure they are satisfied that our organisation is operating with financial and operational integrity, and in the best interests of patients and the public. 

Led by the Chief Executive, the executive directors are our most senior managers and are responsible for the day-to-day running of the Trust, including matters on strategy and operational management, as well as any issues regarding staff or patients. 

Both the non-executive directors and the executive directors regularly speak with patients and staff, listening to their views, ideas and concerns.

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Nick Sands - Director of Transformation and Digital

Nick Sands - Director of Transformation

Nick joined the Royal Surrey family in 2017, initially as the Deputy Chief Operating Officer and he was appointed as the Director of Transformation in 2019.   Nick also took on the role of Acting Chief Operating Officer for 6 months in 2021-2022 during the recruitment of a new substantive COO.  His Transformation portfolio has since expanded to include Information Technology, and he took on responsibility for the IT function in October 2022.

Before joining the Trust, Nick worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers in their healthcare consulting business – supporting strategy and transformation programmes within the UK and Middle East. Prior to that Nick spent five years at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust where he managed a range of clinical services, including their emergency department.

He spent the early part of his career in the automotive industry working with McLaren and Toyota, learning how to develop a culture of continuous quality improvement.  Nick has a first degree in Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Loughborough, and an MSc in Healthcare Management from the University of Surrey.