The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) has confirmed that its Trust Chairman Professor Michael Luger has sadly and unexpectedly died.
Last week, the Trust’s Chief Executive Dr Owen Williams OBE, informed colleagues across the organisation of the sad news.
In a message to staff, Dr Williams said:
“This is obviously a huge shock and as we come to terms with this news our thoughts and condolences are with his wife and family.
“Michael joined the NCA in January 2021 and played an integral role in our journey to formally becoming our single Trust in October 2021. He brought to us the extensive knowledge and experience that he accumulated over his long career working in higher education, international governments, and industry. I know his colleagues and peers at the University of Manchester and in education will be equally devastated by this news.
“Michael was extremely passionate and positive about the NHS and our organisation, and all of the opportunities that we have to build on for our patients, communities and colleagues. It is extremely saddening that we will not have him with us as we continue our journey.
“I know many people will have met and had the pleasure of working with Michael either in his capacity as Chair of our Trust or in his previous roles. He will be sorely missed by many.”
At its meeting of the Council of Governors held on Monday 4 April where a minute silence was observed, the Trust’s Board of Directors confirmed that Mrs Chris Mayer CBE, Vice Chair, will step in to oversee role of Chair over the coming months.
Professor Luger spent 25 years within higher education, as a professor of economics, public policy, and business, and in senior leadership positions including as Dean of Alliance Manchester Business School and Pro-vice Chancellor at the University of North Carolina and at Regents University London. He holds the title of Professor Emeritus at the University of Manchester.
More recently he has served on the boards of public sector organisations and entrepreneurial companies. These have included the chairmanship of the Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, the Office of Rail and Road (the regulator of Britain’s railroads and road network), HealthMe, and Northwest E-health. He has also served on the chairs’ advisory board to NHS England and Improvement.