Following an open and competitive recruitment process, NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board is delighted to announce that Dr Ananthakrishnan Raghuram (Raghu) MBE has been appointed as the new Chief Medical Officer.

Raghu is currently Consultant Physician in General and Respiratory Medicine and Associate Medical Director at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. He is also an elected member of the Council at the Royal College of Physicians and brings a wealth of experience to the role.

Mary Hutton, Chief Executive, NHS Gloucestershire said:

“I’m delighted to announce Raghu as our new Chief Medical Officer and so pleased that he will be able to use his considerable experience and knowledge to benefit the county as a whole.

“Throughout his career he has shown a huge commitment to the NHS in supporting service development and innovation in medicine and I look forward to working with him to enhance the quality of care we provide to local people.

“He will be focused on working with partners to develop and support our medical and professional workforce, and transforming our urgent and emergency care system.”

Raghu said:

“I’m really pleased to be joining NHS Gloucestershire and excited to work with the medical workforce across the One Gloucestershire Integrated Care System to develop our clinical and professional leadership and support our dedicated teams in the provision of high quality care to our patients.

“I’m passionate about developing clinical leadership, so I’m looking forward to getting started and building on the excellent work already taking place across the county.”

Raghu’s appointment comes as Dr Andy Seymour steps down from the role at the end of the year.

Mary added:

“I would like to thank Andy for his commitment over more than 30 years as a local GP and particularly for his dedicated service during his time as Chief Medical Officer at NHS Gloucestershire and Clinical Chair of the former NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group. His excellent contribution to the local NHS over many years is something he should take great pride in.”

Details are still being finalised, but Raghu will join the organisation in early 2024.

Dr Ananthakrishnan Raghuram MBE (Raghu)

Raghu is currently Consultant Physician in General/Respiratory Medicine and Associate Medical Director at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GHNHSFT). Before joining GHNHSFT in 2007, Raghu spent five years as a Consultant Physician at City Hospital in Birmingham.

As Associate Medical Director, he established a thriving leadership development programme for aspiring senior clinical leaders.

Raghu has a keen interest in clinical leadership and has a Masters degree in Healthcare education from Bristol University. He was head of the Postgraduate School of Medicine, Health Education England (South West) until March 2023 and a Host and Chair of Examiners for the Royal College of Physicians.

He is an elected trustee councillor at the Royal College of Physicians.

He was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2021.