Sulis Hospital Bath appoints Miss Sarah Richards as Medical Director
Sulis Hospital is proud to announce the appointment of Miss Sarah Richards, Consultant Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) and General Surgeon at the Royal United Hospitals Bath (RUH) as its new Medical Director, with a start date of 23rd April 2026. Miss Richards will continue in her role as a consultant at the RUH Bath alongside her new leadership position at Sulis Hospital.
Miss Sarah Richards brings extensive experience across both NHS and independent healthcare, alongside a deep understanding of the relationship between Sulis Hospital and the RUH Bath. Her dual role reflects the increasingly close partnership between organization's working together to deliver high-quality, timely care for patients across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW), having previously served as Deputy Chief Medical Officer at the RUH for three years.
Sulis Hospital has grown significantly in recent years – expanding its clinical services, delivering Community Diagnostic Centre activity and establishing the Sulis Orthopaedic Centre. This growth has strengthened the hospital’s role as a trusted partner to the NHS, increasing capacity for patients whilst generating commercial income that supports the wider NHS health system.
As Medical Director, Miss Sarah Richards will play a central role in maintaining the highest clinical standards whilst supporting the continued successful adoption of the Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) Accreditation and the Anaesthesia Clinical Services Accreditation (ACSA) - initiatives that support measurable improvements in patient outcomes, efficiency, patient experience, clinical governance and giving patients the confidence that they are receiving safe, high-quality care. Building on this strong foundation will be a key focus of her leadership.
Miss Sarah Richards said: "I am genuinely excited about taking on the role of Medical Director at Sulis Hospital at such an important point in its development. Sulis has achieved an enormous amount in recent years and there is a real opportunity to build on that success to further improve patient care for communities we serve across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire. Especially now that Sulis Hospital is recognised as the 4th hospital across BSW.
Continuing my clinical role at RUH alongside this new position gives me a unique perspective on how we can strengthen collaboration between organisations and ensure patients benefit from joined-up, high-quality care. Sulis is now firmly on the map when it comes to delivering care for patients across the region and its contribution to supporting NHS services is both significant and growing.
What excites me most is the opportunity ahead – to further improve patient outcomes, support clinical teams and drive forward programmes such as GIRFT and ACSA, which are critical to delivering safe, consistent, high-quality care. Sulis has huge potential and I truly believe it is the jewel in the BSW crown. I am proud to be part of shaping its future."
Simon Milner, Hospital Director at Sulis Hospital, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Sarah Richards as our new Medical Director. She brings outstanding clinical expertise, strong system knowledge and a clear understanding of how partnership working between the NHS an independent sector hospital can deliver real benefits for patients.
Sulis has grown into a major provider of care across the BSW system and Sarah’s leadership will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen clinical governance, expand services and embed national programmes such as GIRFT and ACSA.
This is an exciting opportunity for Sulis Hospital and Sarah’s appointment marks another important step in our ambition to strengthen our role as a centre of excellence and a trusted NHS partner.”
Exceptional Outcomes and Patient Care
The appointment further reinforces Sulis Hospital’s reputation for clinical excellence. The hospital consistently reports exceptionally low infection rates, significantly below national averages, alongside outstanding patient satisfaction with more than 98% of patients reporting their experience as good or very good (based on 3,726 patients providing feedback in 2025).
Miss Richards’ appointment reflects Sulis Hospital’s continued ambition to lead through collaboration, clinical excellence and innovation – ensuring patients across the BSW region benefit from safe, timely and high-quality care now and in the future.
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