THE Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust has welcomed Dom Hardy to the role of chief operating officer.

Mr Hardy has joined the Trust from NHS England and Improvement where he held the position of Director of Primary Care and System Transformation.

READ ALSO: Royal Berkshire Hospital launches Christmas 'Gift Tree' Appeal.

He said: “I’ve been made to feel so welcome and I’m really looking forward to getting to know and working with my new colleagues, alongside the many and exciting challenges the role will bring.

"The RBH is my local hospital and this is a fantastic opportunity to work together with other partners across Berkshire to provide outstanding care for our community.”

CEO Steve McManus added: “I am delighted to welcome Dom Hardy to the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO).

"He will play a key role here in the Trust, but also in our Integrated Care Partnership (ICP), working with colleagues across Berkshire."

READ ALSO: Reading Gaol: Bid brochure handed over to council from Theatre and Arts Reading.

Mr Hardy's previous roles include Director of Commissioning Operations for Wessex and as Regional Assurance and Delivery Director.

Prior to that, he worked in the South of England and South Central SHA working with colleagues across the South to establish and then lead the new commissioning system.

Before moving to the NHS, he worked in central government in a range of roles including working alongside Professor Lord Ara Darzi as project director for the NHS Next Stage Review at the Department of Health and Social Care, Principal Private Secretary to John Reid and Patricia Hewitt and policy advisor to Tony Blair.

He also worked at the management consultancy Price Waterhouse Coopers.