The Hertfordshire and West Essex Sustainability and Transformation Partnership has appointed a job-share partnership of senior health and social care leaders to work with the independent Chair, Paul Burstow, to navigate the next steps towards an integrated health and care system for the area’s 1.5 million residents.
The appointment of Iain MacBeath and Beverley Flowers as joint STP lead officers was announced Wednesday 22 May. The position became available when the previous STP lead chief officer, Deborah Fielding, retired in April. Iain MacBeath is Hertfordshire County Council’s Director of Adult Care Services and Beverley Flowers is the Chief Executive Officer of East and North Hertfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group.
Paul Burstow, Hertfordshire and West Essex STP’s independent Chair, oversaw the recruitment process. He commented:
“I’m delighted that we now have two very committed champions of integrated care at the forefront of our drive to improve population health and deliver high quality, effective and sustainable services. Iain and Beverley have more than 40 years of combined experience in their fields. They are both respected leaders and known for their commitment to real partnership working. Their track records of putting service users, patients and carers at the heart of everything they do mean that their influence reaches beyond traditional organisational boundaries. I am looking forward to working with Beverley and Iain to help deliver a healthier future for our population, our staff and health and care services.”
Beverley Flowers and Iain MacBeath will each combine two days’ work a week leading the STP with their current posts, with the support of their respective organisations. Their immediate priorities include delivering the STP’s Integrated Health and Care Strategy and working with the independent chair and partner organisations on forming an over-arching Integrated Care System and the development of the area’s Integrated Care Partnerships.
Iain MacBeath said: “I am delighted to take up this opportunity at such a key stage in the transformation of our health and care system. This role gives me the opportunity to work with colleagues in the voluntary sector, our district and county councils and the area’s health and care providers and commissioning organisations to support people to lead happier, healthier lives.”
Beverley Flowers said: “Iain and I are committed to ensuring that clinical and professional expertise continues to be nurtured and supported in the Hertfordshire and West Essex STP area. We plan to get out and about across the patch, learning from colleagues in west Essex and Hertfordshire and championing the examples of excellent practice that exist across the whole system. There is a lot of energy and enthusiasm for positive, person-centred change in our area and we will embrace the challenge of transforming that passion into action.”
