Press release: Farewell to Thornton
09 Nov 2001
Stephen Thornton, chief executive of the NHS Confederation left the organisation on the 9th November. Speaking to his last Confederation Council meeting on Wednesday 7th he set out a number of challenges ahead.
He said: "As the NHS and political environment keeps changing, so too must the Confederation. My successor will undoubtedly have number of strategic issues to contend with from managing through a period of organisational change in the NHS right across the UK to where next with devolution?"
He continued: "Last year's membership audit identified members' priorities as developing leading edge thinking on service redesign and modernisation and strengthening the Confederation's capacity to work on key long-term future issues for the health service. We have made a lot of progress this year - witness the recent launch of our leading edge papers on rethinking performance management, projects on future hospitals and clinical leadership."
"This work will need to be continued and developed as we are all focused on finding answers to close the gap between what the NHS is funded to do and what public expectations are of what it should be doing."
Wishing the Confederation well, he said: "I will be reflecting on these issues at PPP Medical Healthcare Trust and making my contribution to the policy debate."
Dianne Jeffrey, chairman of the Confederation thanked Stephen for his leadership of the Confederation over the past four years and recognised his achievements in building the Confederation into a strong voice for NHS management.
Nigel Edwards, Confederation Policy Director will be acting up as chief executive. Interviews for new chief executive are taking place and a decision is expected in November.
Ends
Notes for editors
- Stephen Thornton will be chief executive of PPP Medical Healthcare Trust from Monday 12th November.
- The NHS Confederation is the voice of NHS management. Our members include the majority of NHS trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England; trusts, health authorities and local health groups in Wales; trusts and NHS boards in Scotland; and health and social services trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.
Contact details
- Contact Media Relations Manager Joanna Clason on 020 7074 3306 or 07798 571078 or Senior Media Officer Amy Darlington on 020 7074 3304 or 07767 770309. For out of hours media enquiries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07880 500726.
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