NHS Derby and Derbyshire appoints new Chair
Dr Kathy McLean OBE has today (9 January) been announced as the new Chair of NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board.
The Integrated Care Board (ICB) is responsible for meeting local health needs, managing the local NHS budget, ensuring services are in place to deliver against ambitions and overseeing the delivery of improved outcomes for the population.
Dr McLean will stand down from her chair role of over four years at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHDB) to take up her new post from 1 May 2024. The role will be alongside her existing role as chair of the NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board and Integrated Care Partnership. The two roles complement each other and are aligned to the development of the Combined Authority across Derby & Derbyshire and Nottingham & Nottinghamshire.
Dr McLean’s term as a non-executive director at Barts Health and Barking Havering and Redbridge NHS Trusts end on 31 March 2024.
Speaking about her appointment at NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB, Dr McLean said: "I am delighted to be appointed as chair of the NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board and hope to use my clinical experience and work in national and local leadership roles to support the system in improving health outcomes, tackling health inequalities, and making sure our local NHS is as productive as possible for the population it serves.
"I live in Derby and as a former hospital consultant at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, which I was also privileged to chair for more than four years, I am committed to and passionate about the care provided to the Derbyshire community. I look forward to collaborating with colleagues, partners, residents and patients across the system to support and improve the health and wellbeing of local people.
"True integration and joined-up working can bring huge benefits across health and care, I hope that there will be additional synergy and opportunity to be gained from chairing two local but separate systems that border one another, especially in the context of a newly forming devolved combined authority.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as chair at UHDB but also recognise the potential benefits of leading the system, and I want to thank the 14,000 incredible staff who work at UHDB for the passion, commitment and care I have seen them show to our patients every day."
Dr Chris Clayton, Chief Executive of NHS Derby & Derbyshire Integrated Care Board said: "I very much look forward to working with Kathy in her new role and welcome the vast experience she will bring to the Derby and Derbyshire health and care system. On behalf of the ICB board, I should also like to thank Richard Wright for his stewardship of the board and significant contribution to its work over the last year."
Richard Wright MBE, Interim Chair of NHS Derby & Derbyshire Integrated Care Board said "It has been a privilege to Chair the ICB Board over the last year and I look forward to supporting Kathy as she joins us in the coming months. The ICB has remained focussed on supporting the health and care system through challenging operational times whilst also maintaining a focus upon overall health improvement. Kathy’s commitment to partnership working will bring huge benefits."
Dr Kathy McLean has worked in the NHS for over 40 years, including as a consultant specialising in geriatrics and stroke medicine.
As former Executive Medical Director and Chief Operating Officer of NHS Improvement, Dr McLean has held board positions locally, regionally and nationally, and her work has focused on improving quality by building in clinical leadership and expertise across the NHS.
Prior to NHS Improvement, Dr McLean was the Medical Director at the NHS Trust Development Authority and the Clinical Transitions Director working with Sir Bruce Keogh building the NHS Commissioning Board, now NHS England. Dr McLean was Medical Director at Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for over six years, where she was also a consultant physician from 1994 until 2009, before taking up the Chair role in 2019.
At the end of 2023, Dr McLean was also elected to be the new chair of the NHS Confederation Integrated Care System (ICS) Network Board from April 2024, a non-paid role that brings together leaders from all 42 ICSs across England.
In 2018, Dr McLean was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her services to leadership across the NHS, and when not working, enjoys spending time on her allotment and walking in the countryside.