THE chief executive who was parachuted in to turn around the fortunes of the West Herts Hospitals Trust (WHHT) is moving on.

Jan Filochowski has been CEO of the trust, which takes in St Albans, Hemel Hempstead and Watford General Hospitals, since 2007 when he was brought in to oversee centralisation of acute care at Watford and other measures to improve ratings which were poor on quality and performance in national league tables.

He is leaving to take up the post of CEO at Great Ormond Street NHS Foundation Trust which runs the national children’s hospital.

During his tenure with WHHT, Mr Filochowski also oversaw the development of an elective care centre at St Albans and plans for a local general hospital at Hemel Hempstead.

As a result, the trust has improved its performance ratings and there has been national recognition for its achievements.

It is also well on its way to becoming a foundation trust with authorisation expected in 2013.

Mr Filochowski, who had previously held CEO positions at four other NHS organisations before arriving at West Herts, has managed to secure �7 million for a new road to Watford General from the M1 link road and has received confirmation that the Croxley Rail Link will extend the Metropolitan Line to a new station by the hospital.

He said this week: “While on the one hand I am obviously delighted to be going to this world-famous hospital, I am also very sorry to be leaving such a wonderful trust and the great people who work in it.”