Steven Morgan has announced that he will be stepping down as Chair of North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC) due to ill health, with effect from 1 November 2025. His departure follows a period of illness that has affected his ability to continue in the demanding leadership role.
Mr Morgan has led the Trust since February 2023, during which time he has played a significant role in shaping its strategic direction and strengthening local and regional healthcare partnerships. Earlier this year, on 10 September 2025, the Trust’s Governors had approved an 18-month extension to his term as Chair, reflecting their confidence in his leadership before the full impact of his health issues was known.
Under Mr Morgan’s chairmanship, NCIC developed an ambitious corporate and clinical strategy focused on delivering more care closer to home through integrated neighbourhood health hubs. He also strengthened relationships with key healthcare partners across the region, particularly through NCIC’s membership in the Great North Healthcare Alliance, which includes the Northumberland, Newcastle, and Gateshead NHS Trusts.
Reflecting on his decision to step down, Mr Morgan said: “I am terribly sad to leave NCIC. I have huge affection for the organisation – not least because of the tremendous care so many dedicated staff have provided to me through my own recent health problems. When I joined the Trust we focussed on stabilisation of our performance and developing our strategic thinking about how we provide healthcare in north Cumbria in the future. So many of those ideas are now reflected in the Government’s Ten Year Plan for the NHS – moving care out of hospital into the community, making greater use of digital technology and thinking about preventative healthcare. We now have an excellent new leadership team in place ready to take the Trust to the next level. This requires energy and commitment which at the moment I am just not able to provide. With regret I’ve had to concede that I must continue my recovery in retirement. I know I leave the Trust in safe hands and I will forever be proud to have been part of NCIC.”
Interim Chief Executive Trudie Davies praised Mr Morgan’s leadership, describing him as “a larger-than-life figure who never fails to make a positive impression on all he meets.” She added: “He is a great thinker and, not surprisingly given his military background, a man of action who likes to get things done. He has been unfailingly supportive since I joined the Trust and he will leave a lasting legacy, particularly in respect of his inspirational drive to rethink how healthcare can be delivered in the 21st century. We will miss him.”
Lead Governor Jacqueline Nicol also paid tribute to Mr Morgan’s commitment and vision. “We were aware that Steven had been unwell, but this has come as a shock to Governors because it was so clear to us how much Steven was absolutely committed to the Trust,” she said. “We only recently endorsed an extension to his term and were looking forward to working with him on the next chapter of NCIC. I am sure I speak on behalf of all Governors when I say that we are so sorry to see Steven go, but we understand his reasons and we wish him well for the future.”
Deputy Chair Teresa Griffiths will step into the role of Interim Chair while the Trust begins the process of selecting a permanent replacement.
Before joining NCIC, Mr Morgan held several senior leadership roles in both the UK and the United States. He previously served as a Non-Executive Director at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where he chaired the Finance Committee. A dual UK and US citizen, he is a former Copeland Borough Councillor and Executive Member in West Cumbria. His distinguished career also includes senior positions at Sellafield, Heathrow Airport, and the Ministry of Defence, where he was Commercial Director responsible for military procurement. Earlier in his career, he served as a Rear Admiral in the US Navy and Director of Logistics at the Defence Logistics Agency. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Civil Engineers, the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, and Cranfield University.
Mr Morgan has lived in the UK for over 20 years, many of them in West Cumbria, and continues to advise on major infrastructure projects, including the Hinkley Point Nuclear Project.
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital and community health services to around half a million people across the region, employing more than 6,500 staff and delivering over 70 services across 15 main sites.
