THE chief executive of Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton has announced she will be stepping down from the role to take up a new challenge in London.

Dr Sam Barrell will leave in the autumn to take up a new post as chief operating officer of the prestigious Francis Crick Institute.

The institute is the biomedical research establishment that is committed to translating research into new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses.

Dr Barrell joined the hospital in February 2015 from South Devon, where she had been chief clinical officer at the local clinical commissioning group.

Since her appointment at the hospital, it has been rated as “Outstanding” for care and “Good” overall by the Care Quality Commission.

It also ended the last financial year with a surplus of almost £700,000 – compared with a deficit the previous year.

Under Dr Barrell’s leadership, the hospital has won a string of awards for its innovations and the quality of its care.

Colin Drummond, chair of the Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I would like to thank Sam most warmly for the tremendous work she has done on behalf of our hospital.

“I am very sad that she is leaving us but delighted for her to be taking up such a prestigious role which reflects great credit on Musgrove Park Hospital and the work she has done here.

“Sam will leave us very well positioned for the future.”

Dr Barrell said: “I have loved being at Musgrove because it has the most outstanding and caring staff I have ever worked with.

“Teams right across the hospital are dedicated and committed, constantly coming up with improvements and innovations that make care better for our patients.

“It will be terribly hard to leave it, but the hospital has an exceptional senior leadership team and I know it will go from strength to strength.”