The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) has today announced the appointment of a new chair for its board, Nicola Scrivings.

She will succeed interim chair, Nigel Beverley, who has been with the Trust since July 2019.

It comes after inspectors said earlier this year the leadership at EEAST was inadequate, with a "significant turnover" and too many in interim positions.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) visited the East of England Ambulance Trust (EEAST) in April and May and although the overall rating remained at requires improvement, there was a disconnect between staff and leaders as the former were seen as outstanding and the latter as inadequate.

Chief inspector of hospitals Professor Ted Baker said: "We were particularly concerned that there had been significant turnover within the senior leadership team over the last 12 months. At the time of our inspection, key members of the board were in interim positions."

Nicola Scrivings joins EEAST from Cambridgeshire Community Services (CCS) NHS Trust, where she has been the Trust's chair since January 2015. Prior to that she was a non-executive director with the trust.

She brings more than 20 years' experience with the Royal Mail, progressing from sales, marketing and operational management to a number of director level roles including, from 2009 until 2013, regional operations director for Anglia.

Nicola is also currently Group Chair of Cambridge Housing Society.

It comes as the trust launches a consultation on its new corporate strategy, which sets out its plan for improvement over the next five years. One of the first tasks of the new chair will be to appoint a permanent chief executive officer.

The new chair will start her appointment in November 2019. The Trust's non-executive directors are appointed through NHS England and NHS Improvement, usually for four years.

Nicola Scrivings said: "I have already met many enthusiastic and committed colleagues who are absolutely focused on providing excellent care for people who need our support.

"I will make it my priority to spend time out and about, hearing directly from staff and volunteers on their thoughts on the challenges and priorities facing the Trust."