Nuffield Health has appointed Rob Thomas as its health systems director for the Wales and West health system, leading three hospitals and overseeing 11 fitness and wellbeing centres for the healthcare charity.

Thomas joined Nuffield Health four years ago having previously worked in leadership roles for the NHS in Wales and England in addition to working in the Middle East.

Thomas said: “I’m proud to be part of Nuffield Health, particularly our unrelenting focus on patient safety and governance. In my new role, I’m focused on advancing our healthcare, fitness and wellbeing services for more people in local communities across the Wales and West health system. Nuffield Health’s vision is to help more people from local communities to lead healthier lives through its best-in-class connected preventative, diagnostic, hospital, physio, fitness and mental wellbeing services.

“I will continue to work with my talented colleagues at Cheltenham, Cardiff and Vale hospitals and I’m looking forward to working with the hospital team at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, which specialises particularly in orthopaedic surgery and joint care. Our Bristol Hospital supports people within the local community who have health insurance, those who pay for their care themselves and NHS patients from North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust.

“I’m already impressed with the talented teams at our 11 fitness and wellbeing centres across the Southwest and in Wales. They are committed to helping our local members lead healthier lives and achieve their fitness and wellbeing goals, as well as supporting our hospital patients who are undergoing rehabilitation.

“At Nuffield Health, we take a personal approach by treating everyone as an individual with their health challenges and aspirations. Driven to enable individuals to thrive, I am dedicated to operating with integrity, authenticity, and a cooperative method to achieve exceptional outcomes for people in local communities across the Wales and West health system.”