The hospital is managed by the Board of Directors which consists of the Chair, 8 Executives and 7 Non-Executive Directors.
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Cara Charles-Barks
Chief Executive
Hello, my name is Cara Charles-Barks and I am the Chief Executive Officer at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and also Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust.
I am an accomplished, knowledgeable, and proactive advanced healthcare management professional. I qualified as a Registered Nurse in 1990 in Australia and have over 30 years' experience in the public and private health care sector.
I work hard to build relationships and to communicate effectively with diverse health and social care professionals; and develop and motivate large teams to deliver the best care possible for the people within my organisation and at system level.
I aim to provide strong, visible and inspiring leadership and support to ensure that we constantly drive ourselves to improve. I have demonstrated my ability to deliver complex, organisational changes whilst ensuring that all of our people feel included and able to shape the future. I also have a proven track record of leading through engaging, continually supporting, developing and motivating staff.
I have been named as one of the NHS's top 50 Chief Executives five times - in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 - and in June 2019 I was awarded an MBE as part of the Queen's Birthday honours for inspirational and outstanding leadership. This was in recognition of my leadership of Salisbury Foundation Trust during the Novichok incident. Also in June 2019, I was appointed Honorary Colonel of 243 Multi-Role Medical Regiment (MMR), part of the Army Reserve Medical Services.
I strongly believe that true potential to innovate is unlocked through connection and by working with others. Excellence is usually achieved through collaboration and with support. As we share ideas, challenge each other, and support one another, we foster an environment where innovation thrives and the art of the possible is realised. When we work and learn together we can improve together.
At the RUH one of my key priorities is to ensure that we create a culture whereby the people that work here and the people we care for have an exceptional experience. This experience should be built on the foundation of humanity and the connections we have with each other to make a difference. It calls for vulnerability, openness, and a willingness to engage with others.
I also want to ensure that our culture here enables everyone to be themselves, so that they can thrive in what is a safe, open and inclusive environment. Priorities such as our kindness and civility programme, our improving together leadership programme and our just culture programme are all ways in which we are slowly making changes.
It is a real privilege for me to work in a role where I can make a difference every day. I am proud to be part of the team here at RUH and our community here in Bath.
cara.charlesbarks@nhs.net
Declared interests:
- Group CEO for Royal United Hospitals, Great Western Hospitals and Salisbury Foundation Trust.
- Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences at the University of the West of England.
- Chair of NHS Quest, a Leadership and Development Provider.
- Honorary Colonel of 243 Multi-Role Medical Regiment (MMR), part of the Army Reserve Medical Services
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Andrew Hollowood
Interim Managing Director
Hello, my name is Andrew Hollowood and I am the interim Managing Director at the RUH. I joined the RUH as its Chief Medical Officer in November 2022 and also became Deputy Chief Executive in October 2023.
I am a Cancer Surgeon specialising in gastric cancer and previously worked at the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust as Deputy Medical Director and Site Medical Director at Weston Hospital.
I trained in the South West and in Japan at the National Cancer Centre.
I am committed to creating a culture of listening to staff in order to problem solve and create solutions. I am also focussed on reducing waiting times and embedding our clinical strategy. I am passionate about taking positive action to reduce the impact of health inequalities by raising awareness and making it everyone's business.
Outside of work I am a member of the advisory board of Bristol-based Boomsatsuma, which provides young people with the opportunity to work in the creative industries.
a.hollowood@nhs.net
Declared interests:
- Wife is a General Practitioner at Hartcliffe Surgery, Bristol.
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Toni Lynch
Chief Nursing Officer
Hello, my name is Toni and I am the Chief Nursing Officer here at the RUH. I joined the Trust in April 2021 from Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, where I was Deputy Chief Nurse and acting Chief Nurse providing leadership to 7000 nurses and midwives through the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I have also previously held senior roles both in clinical and operational management. I hold a Masters' degree in Advanced Nursing Practice and have completed the Nye Bevan Executive Leadership programme.
antonia.lynch4@nhs.net
Declared interests:
- Spouse is a Matron at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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Dr Kheelna Bavalia
Interim Chief Medical Officer
Hello, my name is Kheelna Bavalia, and I am the Interim Chief Medical Officer here at the RUH. I joined the Trust in February 2025 on a secondment from NHS England South West.
I qualified as a doctor from King's College London in 1997 and completed my GP in London in 2001. I have a Master's level degree and am a Health Foundation Generation Q Fellow. Clinically, I have held various general practitioner roles across South London, the longest as a GP Principle serving a diverse and largely deprived population in inner city London.
I am a keen educator and learner, committed to professional development and continuous improvement. I worked as Deputy Post-Graduate Dean and Deputy Medical Director in the London region before taking up the role of Medical Director for System Improvement and Professional Standards, and Responsible Officer for NHS England South West in 2021.
I am interested in healthcare systems and strive to improve health services in ways that make sense for patients and service users. I am committed to better working across organisational boundaries, serving the needs of the population, and maintaining a strong focus on quality improvement and equity.
k.bavalia@nhs.net
Declared interests:
- Trustee of Shooting Star Children's Hospice since February 2023
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Simon Truelove
Interim Chief Financial Officer
Hello, my name is Simon Truelove, and I joined the Trust in March 2025. I am the Interim Chief Finance Officer, and I am on temporary secondment from Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.
I joined Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust as Chief Financial Officer in September 2016, having previously worked as the Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Accountable Officer at Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group.
I have spent the whole of my career in the NHS and have worked in a range of organisations including ambulance Trusts, integrated health and social care providers, and commissioning organisations. I am passionate about the NHS and empowering my teams to transform the services that they support.
Declared interests:
- Married to the deputy CEO / CFO of BNSSG ICB, Commissioner of Health Services for the BNSSG area. Married since 1997
- Trustee of the Independent Living Centre, Semington, a provider of advice for supporting people to live at home in the Trowbridge and Melksham area - commenced September 2023
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Paran Govender
Chief Operating Officer
I joined the Trust from Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, where I have been based for the last 4 years. I have worked at a number of NHS organisations, most especially King's College NHS Foundation Trust where I held a number of clinical and operational roles over my 18 years with the Trust.
I have extensive clinical and leadership experience as an Occupational Therapist, Chief Therapist and Director of Operations and Partnerships in South East London.
I grew up in South Africa. The political and economic challenges resulting in a disproportionate socio-economic climate have left an indelible mark on me. I have committed, over many years, to supporting those in need and working tirelessly to champion basic rights including health and care. I am happiest when I am working to build collaborations in complex health and care systems.
I enjoy the curious, creative and collective problem solving that comes with bringing together different views, centred around making positive differences to our patients and diverse communities. I draw on my clinical, educational and research practice as well as my extensive leadership experience in complex acute, community, social care and voluntary organisations. I am delighted to be joining the Trust to work, in partnership, to deliver outstanding care for the population we serve.
paran.govender@nhs.net
Declared interests:
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Jocelyn Foster
Chief Strategic Officer
Hello, my name is Joss Foster and I'm Chief Strategic Officer at the RUH with particular responsibility for our teams skilled in longer term planning, major projects, communications and fundraising.
Across my career I've worked in similar or related roles in many different sectors including strategic consultancy, logistics, utilities, council and mental health services.
My priorities include ensuring the RUH remains fit for the future and I'm privileged to have the opportunity of working alongside so many amazing colleagues both in the RUH and our wider health and care system striving to make a difference everyday for the people we serve.
jocelyn.foster@nhs.net
Declared interests:
- Complaints Panelist for the Dental Complaints Service.
- Investor in Veloscient Ltd (An organisation developing a platform to facilitate structured data capture for a range of markets including healthcare).
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Alfredo Thompson
Chief People Officer
Hello, my name is Alfredo Thompson and I'm the Chief People Officer. I joined the organisation in February 2022, and have previously worked as a Director inside and outside the NHS.
I'm passionate about organisational culture, staff experience and inclusion. I believe that treating our people with kindness and respect is key to ensuring that everyone feels like they are able to contribute to the success of RUH. It's really important to make sure we recognise each other's individuality and we consider the ideas and suggestions offered by our colleagues.
We are working hard at creating an environment where our people feel cared for and like they are able to express their true feelings at work.
alfredo.thompson@nhs.net
Declared interests:
- Attends Locum's Nest Special Interest Group meetings. Locum's Nest is a private organisation that the Trust uses to book Medical Locums.
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Christopher Brooks-Daw
Chief of Staff
Hello, my name is Christopher. I became the Chief of Staff in January 2024, having worked in many roles in healthcare for over 30 years beforehand. I have had a varied career spanning clinical and corporate roles in both the NHS, overseas and the independent healthcare sector.
My previous roles have included senior positions in nursing, governance and risk, leadership and organisational change. My motivation centres on continuous learning, bringing simplicity and clarity, fostering a positive organisational culture, and advocating for both staff and patients. I enjoy working with colleagues to find creative ways to solve problems and design better ways of working.
c.brooks-daw2@nhs.net
Declared interests:
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