University Hospital Association
The UHA is the collective voice of university hospitals across the UK, bringing together leaders in healthcare, innovation, and education to shape the future of the NHS.
In 2025, University Hospital Association (UHA) transitioned from its long-standing host, the Medical Schools Council, and became part of NHS Providers.
About us
As a national forum, we enable collaboration, share innovation, and champion excellence in patient care, workforce development, and clinical research.
Our members are at the forefront of medical innovation, working in partnership with universities, industry, and communities to train the next generation of NHS staff and ensure that patients benefit from the latest evidence-based care.
Our history
In 1998, to prepare for significant anticipated NHS reforms under a new government, leaders of large multi-specialty trusts with strong commitments to research and education established the UK University Hospitals Forum.
The organisation was hosted by the Council of Heads of Medical Schools (now the Medical Schools Council) and was later renamed the Association of UK University Hospitals.
In the early 2000s, membership expanded to include single-specialty trusts in fields such as oncology, ophthalmology, mental health, and paediatrics, broadening the organisation’s expertise and strengthening its collective voice. In 2019, the organisation became the University Hospital Association (UHA).
In 2025, UHA transitioned from its long-standing host, the Medical Schools Council, to a new hosting arrangement with NHS Providers.
Our current membership
UHA has a membership of 43 university hospital trusts across England and Wales.
Our current members are:
- Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust
- Barts Health NHS Trust
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Chelsea And Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
- Guy's And St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
- Hampshire And Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust
- London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust
- Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
- Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Norfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust
- Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
- Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Sheffield Health And Social Care NHS Foundation Trust
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
- South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Swansea Bay University Health Board
- The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
- The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
- University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
- University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
- University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
- University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
University hospital status
The Department of Health and Social Care has made membership of the University Hospital Association a key condition of achieving formal university hospital status.
While the term 'teaching hospital' is still used in some contexts, for clarity and consistency UHA and the department of health use the term ‘university hospital’. To learn more about the status of university hospitals, see our membership guide.
Groups
The UHA is led by its member chief executives, acting as the UHA board. It also runs professional groups for key roles at trust board level, assisted by UHA policy staff.
Meeting regularly both in-person and virtually, these groups offer a trusted forum for peer collaboration, strategic dialogue, and shared problem-solving.
Chief executives
University hospitals develop and train the NHS workforce, deliver scientific breakthroughs and provide cutting-edge, evidence-based care. This requires strong and thoughtful leadership from the trust chief executive.
Fulfilling these expectations is a challenging task, which is why good leadership is fuelled by collaboration. Through the UHA board, university hospital chief executives are able share their knowledge and experiences, learning from each other and forming a unified voice to tackle issues affecting healthcare delivery.
Working together as part of UHA, the UK’s leading hospitals form a powerful voice for better healthcare.
The current chair of the UHA is Professor Andy Hardy, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust.
Chief operating officers
The role of the chief operating officer (COO) is to ensure the trusts strategic goals are translated into effective, day-to-day operations.
From managing complex clinical services to overseeing infrastructure, workforce planning, and patient flow, the COO plays a critical role in ensuring care is safe, efficient, and sustainable.
Delivering this level of operational leadership is a complex challenge, which is why collaboration is essential.
Through UHA, COOs connect to discuss operational excellence, share best practice and strategies for improving hospital operations, enhancing efficiency, and delivering high-quality patient care.
The current chair of the UHA COO group is Dr Andy Heeps, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.
Chief finance officers
Funding the NHS is an increasingly complicated task, with important decisions as to how and where funds are spent.
Chief finance officers (CFOs) ensure trusts remain financially sustainable, providing excellent patient care while also supporting research, innovation and education.
They oversee complex budgets, manage financial risk, and align resources with strategic priorities.
Through UHA, university hospitals CFOs meet to share best practice for effective financial planning, resource allocation, and advocate for policies that support the sustainability of university hospitals.
The current chair of the chief finance officers group is Jonathan Reid, Chief Financial Officer at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.
Chief people officers
University hospitals rely on a highly skilled, adaptable workforce to deliver world-class care, education, and research.
Chief people officers play a pivotal role in shaping this workforce, leading on recruitment and retention, workforce planning, staff wellbeing, and organisational culture.
Through UHA, chief people officers collaborate on the complex workforce challenges facing university hospitals, from supporting a research-active workforce to aligning education and training with future service needs.
The group enables members to share innovative approaches to workforce planning, influence national workforce policy, and strengthen the voice of people leadership across the NHS.
The current chair of the chief people officers group is Donna Griffiths, Chief People Officer at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust.
Chief medical officers
Chief medical officers (CMOs) are the senior clinical leaders within university hospitals, responsible for ensuring the highest standards of patient care and clinical governance.
They play a vital role in aligning clinical strategy with research, education, and innovation, while navigating complex regulatory and safety requirements.
Through UHA, member CMOs collaborate on shared challenges such as clinical quality improvement, regulatory compliance, and the integration of research into frontline care.
The group provides a forum to influence national clinical policy, develop leadership approaches, and support the professional development of medical leaders across the sector.
The current chair of the chief medical officers group is Professor Kiran Patel, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
Chief nursing officers
Chief nursing officers (CNO) lead the nursing, midwifery, and allied health professions within university hospitals, ensuring compassionate, evidence-based care across all services.
They are central to workforce development, quality improvement, and the integration of education and research into clinical practice.
The UHA CNO group focuses on advancing strategies for workforce development, maintaining patient safety and promoting innovation in care delivery. It also provides a platform to influence national nursing policy and ensure the contribution of nursing to research and education is fully recognised.
The current chair of the UHA chief nursing officers group is Gail Byrne, Chief Nursing Officer at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.
Research and development directors
Research and Development (R&D) directors are at the heart of the university hospital mission to drive innovation, enable clinical research, and translate discoveries into improved patient outcomes.
They oversee research strategy, partnerships, and governance, ensuring research is embedded in clinical care and aligned with NHS priorities.
Through UHA, R&D directors collaborate to influence national research policy, address operational challenges such as study delivery and capacity, and advocate for the role of research in improving patient outcomes.
The group supports the development of research-active cultures and fosters collaboration between trusts, universities, and industry.
The current chair of the R&D directors group is Professor Saul Faust, Director of the Southampton NIHR Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility.
Join UHA
Becoming a member of the UHA connects you to a national network of leaders in healthcare, research, and education, as well as access to our professional groups.
UHA Membership Guide