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Sam Higginson

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Chief Executive Officer at Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
📍 London, England, United Kingdom

Sam Higginson is an experienced NHS leader with a 20-year career spanning strategic finance, operations, and chief executive roles. He specializes in organizational turnarounds, having led trusts in Norfolk and Devon out of recovery programs. He earned his Masters Degree from The London School of Economics and Political Science.

Outside of his demanding career, Sam is a father to two boys. He prioritizes spending time with them and enjoys staying active together through activities like walking, football, tennis, and swimming.

He has a background in humanitarian aid, starting his career with Unicef as a logistics officer coordinating emergency airlifts in Sudan.

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Experience
12 Years
Current Role
Chief Executive Officer
Job Level
Leadership
Location
London, England, United Kingdom
Personality Overview

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Communication Style
Decision Approach
Work Preference

Behavioral traits and communication patterns that shape how this person evaluates opportunities, builds trust, and makes decisions in professional settings.

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Priorities

Topics Sam cares about

Healthcare Turnarounds
He has a track record of leading challenged NHS trusts out of special measures and recovery support programs, including at Norfolk & Norwich and Royal Devon.
Elective Recovery
Advised NHS England on a national level, focusing on elective recovery and outpatient transformation, a key area of his recent expertise.
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Career

Work history

1-2024
Chief Executive Officer
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
8-2023 - 1-2024
Director Elective Recovery - Strategy & Transformation
NHS England
10-2019 - 8-2023
Chief Executive Officer
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
3-2017 - 10-2019
Chief Operating Officer
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
3-2013
Director of Strategic Finance
NHS England
In the press

Media appearances

Sam Higginson announced as new CEO of the Royal Devon. Featured in Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
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Sam Higginson joins the Royal Devon as CEO. Featured in Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (official site)
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Education
2009 - 2010
NHS London
Hult Ashridge Executive Education
1999 - 2001
Master’s Degree
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Social presence
in
Behavioral profile

DISC profile (public)

DISC behavioral profile

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