Honorary Doctorate for Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive

Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive, Angela Hillery, has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Northampton.

Angela Hillery has worked within the NHS for over 30 years. She has a background in Speech and Language therapy and holds a Master’s degree in developmental disorders. In 2017 and 2018 Angela was listed in the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Top 50 CEOs in the NHS and in 2017 was a finalist for Chief Executive of the Year at the HSJ Awards.

Angela’s ethos is in her commitment to upholding values and developing compassionate cultures for those we care for and work with. She has overseen a number of notable projects, including the Moving Ahead project to deliver equalities in mental health services for BME communities and has also undertaken the system lead role for Northamptonshire Health and Care Partnership (NHCP) in addition to her CEO NHS Trust responsibilities.

In 2018 NHFT achieved an overall rating of Outstanding from the CQC and also won the 2018 HSJ Trust of the Year Award. Angela has served on the board of the National Management Board of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy and held a partner role with the Health Professional Council. Earlier this year, it was announced that Angela would also take on the Chief Executive role at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust.

Of her honorary doctorate, Angela said, “I am honoured and humbled to accept an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Northampton, and to have been recognised in this way. I am passionate about the NHS; improving outcomes for our population; and shining a light on the fantastic achievements of the health and care system in Northamptonshire, of which the University of Northampton has been an integral partner. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to spend much of my career making a difference to the people of Northamptonshire, and I will strive to continue to do so in the years ahead.”

Dr Steve O’Brien Dean, Faculty of Health & Society, said “I am delighted that the University of Northampton has been able to recognise her achievements in shaping healthcare provision in Northamptonshire with an Honorary Doctorate. It’s very clear that healthcare provision in this county has benefitted enormously from Angela’s huge talent.”