Dawn Dawson is acting chief executive of Dorset HealthCare

Dawn Dawson has become the first woman to lead Dorset HealthCare, having taken over from chief executive Eugine Yafele who has left to take up a new role in Bristol after more than three years in the hot seat.

As acting chief executive, Dawn will lead the organisation as it starts to recover from the impacts of Covid-19 while the trust seeks a permanent replacement.

Dawn, Dorset HealthCare’s nursing, therapies and quality director, said: “I’m absolutely delighted and honoured to take on the role of acting chief executive.

“As we head towards summer and the pressures of the pandemic finally start to ease, there is so much for us to look forward to.

“I will keep our focus on improving the quality of care we provide. Our Trust is filled with talented, dedicated people, and the fantastic way we have responded to the challenges of the past couple of years gives me enormous confidence our services will continue to evolve and flourish.

“There is plenty to do, as always, and I’m so excited to get started.”

A nurse by background, Dawn has worked in healthcare for more than 30 years. She joined Dorset HealthCare in 2018 and has played a key role in its recent development.

Notably, she was heavily involved in setting up Dorset’s Covid-19 mass vaccination centre which the trust ran at the Bournemouth International Centre last year, where more than 124,000 jabs were given.

Trust Chair Andy Willis thanked Eugine for his leadership, and congratulated Dawn on her appointment. “Dawn has played a key part in our journey over the past four years,” he said.

“She has an excellent reputation, both within the Trust and among our partner organisations, and is extremely well placed to keep us focused on transforming our services and delivering the best possible outcomes for our patients.”

Dorset HealthCare provides community health services covering physical and mental health across Dorset, Bournemouth, Poole.