An experienced chartered accountant has been appointed as a non-executive director at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt (RJAH) Orthopaedic Hospital in Gobowen.

Rachel Hopwood, who previously has held non-executive director roles at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Western Cheshire Primary Care Trust, took up her position last week at RJAH.

She replaces former deputy chairman Alastair Findlay on the board – Alastair having completed the maximum two full terms of office.

She said: “I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to join the Board of Directors at RJAH.

“RJAH is a trust with a strong reputation for providing high quality services with skill and dedication, and rightly so, was rated outstanding for caring by the Care Quality Commission earlier this year.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting all the staff and working together to support the delivery to world class patient care and outcomes for our patients.”

Rachel will serve as chairman of the Finance, Planning and Digital Committee during her time at the hospital.

Frank Collins, trust chairman, said: “I’m delighted to be welcoming Rachel to RJAH following an extensive recruitment process and her exemplary background will bring us a fresh perspective.

“She was an outstanding candidate in an extremely strong field and we’re thrilled she accepted our invitation to join us.

“We now have a well-balanced group of non-executive directors who each offer something unique and ensures there will be the appropriate scrutiny of the decisions taken by the executive team – something that will only benefit our patients.”