The Department of Health has announced today that Sir Neil McKay, the current Chief Executive of NHS East of England, has been selected as the new CEO for the NHS Midlands and East Strategic Health Authority (SHA) cluster.
The cluster comprises NHS East Midlands, NHS East of England and NHS West Midlands.
Sir Neil will take up his new post on 3 October 2011, when the new cluster working arrangements will come into effect. He will be responsible for leading the new cluster up until April 2013 when the new NHS Commissioning Board replaces SHAs and Primary Care Trusts.
The cluster chief executive posts were open to substantive SHA chief executives only. Kevin Orford, Interim Chief Executive for NHS East Midlands, was therefore not eligible to apply for the role but said:
"I've known Neil for many years and I'm delighted that he will be taking up the post of Chief Executive for the NHS Midlands and East cluster. I'm very proud of our achievements in the East Midlands and I look forward to seeing these built on as the new cluster takes shape."
Sir Neil McKay, Chief Executive Designate of NHS Midlands and East, said:
“I am delighted to have been appointed to this post and I look forward to working with the thousands of dedicated professionals across all three current regions who provide treatment, care, and support to millions of people each and every day.
“Underpinned by the values of the NHS Constitution, a modernised NHS where local clinical leaders drive service improvements will bring benefits for local people. To get there we need to support these emerging leaders, help them develop their skills and their new organisations whilst maintaining focus on service delivery and financial discipline today. That is what the new NHS Midlands and East SHA Cluster will do. We will support and develop the new, whilst ensuring the now.
“I look forward to working with Sarah Boulton, the new Chair of the Cluster, and will now start work on creating a senior team that puts quality and delivery at the very heart of the new cluster. I am currently arranging to meet staff and key stakeholders across all SHA systems from today.”
Welcoming the appointments, Sir David Nicholson, chief executive of the NHS said:
“These key senior appointments will put us in the best position to manage the transition through to April 2013, ensuring quality and safety for our patients.
“Managing transition is about keeping a tight grip on today’s service performance, finances and delivery, whilst simultaneously putting in place tomorrow’s new world architecture.
“SHA clusters are an important part of our approach to managing transition across the system in a consistent and efficient way.
“I have every confidence in these appointments – both to the SHA clusters and to the other senior leadership roles.
“By putting the current regional arrangements on the same initial footprint as the NHS Commissioning Board and potentially other new organisations, the SHA clusters form an important step in the journey to the new system.
“I would also like to put my thanks on record to Mark Ogden, Kevin Orford and David Stout, who have all done an outstanding job as interim SHA chief executives.”
