Spire Healthcare’s executive chairman Garry Watts will be reverting to the role of non-executive chairman due to ill health, while the company has confirmed the search is on for a permanent chief executive.  

Watts (pictured) “has been diagnosed with a medical condition and is currently undergoing treatment as a result of which he may need some short periods out of the business over the next several months” the private hospital group in an official announcement to the London Stock Exchange.

Watts took on the role of executive chairman last year following the departure of previous chief executive Rob Roger to ensure the smooth running of the business until a permanent boss was in place. In December, Spire announced that chief operating officer Andrew White would be the permanent chief executive once he had recovered from a “period of sustained medical treatment”.

However, Spire has now said a formal process is underway to identify candidates both internally and externally to take on the role of chief executive, due to Watts’ ill health. HealthInvestor UK understands that White is on the list of candidates being considered.  

Simon Gordon, the current chief financial officer of Spire, has taken on the post of interim chief executive with immediate effect. Meanwhile, Andrew Goldsmith has moved up from head of finance to the post of chief financial officer. Goldmsmith has been with Spire since April 2007, when it was still Bupa Hospitals.

Peter Bamford, deputy chairman and senior independent director of Spire, said: "I and the board would like to thank Garry for all his hard work as executive chairman in the last year. Now that he is returning to his previous role as non-executive chairman we are very fortunate to be able to appoint Simon Gordon as interim chief executive, since his tenure with the company and previous interaction with our investors means he will move seamlessly into that role, while continuing to work closely with Garry."