A Kings Langley doctor who was awarded an MBE in this year’s New Year’s Honours List, has announced she will be retiring from her position next year.

Dr Ros Taylor MBE, DL, will be retiring from her role as director of The Hospice of St Francis in March after 18 years at the Berkhamsted-based charity. 

The 58-year-old was appointed as the national director for hospice care by Help the Hospices in July and is set to begin her new role on a part-time basis in October. 

She will then continue in her role of "driving the clinical agenda for hospice care at a national strategic level and promoting and supporting excellence in the end of life care sector."

She said: "My decision to retire is two-fold. I have taken on a part-time role as National Director for Hospice Care from October and I anticipate this role will grow.

"I also believe it’s time for me to step aside from The Hospice of St Francis to allow a new leader to support the next era of change. Hospice care has never been higher on the agenda for the NHS and our public and there are many opportunities and challenges which a new leader can navigate.

"I am absolutely confident that the talented and committed team of staff and volunteers will sustain the Hospice long into the future, but March is a while away and until then, it’s business as usual."

Dr Taylor, MBE, DL joined the Berkhamstead hospice in 1997 and oversaw a £6million project which saw the hospice rebuilt on a new site, in Shooters Way and officially welcomed its first patients in January 2007.  

Charles Toner, chair of trustees at The Hospice, said: "Ros has made an enormous contribution to the Hospice of St Francis for 18 years, providing excellent care for our patients and their families, steadily growing the services we offer and enabling us to achieve our vision for hospice and palliative care locally.

"There will be ample time to recognise her contribution more fully in the coming months, but in the meantime it’s business as usual, Ros will be with us until next March and The Board of Trustees can begin the process of recruiting a successor to continue the development of the Hospice’s services and meet the changing needs of people in its catchment."