By Eric White
TWO new executive directors are joining the region’s ambulance service, it was announced on Thursday (19th May).
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) has appointed Kevin Brown as Director of Service Delivery, and Wayne Bartlett-Syree Director of Strategy and Sustainability.
The appointments are the latest milestone in helping with the establishment of a stable executive team and Board to ‘drive the organisation forward’.
Chief Executive Robert Morton said: "I am delighted that we have been able to make these appointments. After joining, and during my subsequent travels meeting with colleagues, the lack of stable leadership and direction was an area of concern which was consistently raised by staff in every area.
"Creating a stable and permanent executive team and Board is absolutely essential in enabling us to move the Trust forward. Kevin and Wayne are both exceptional candidates and the knowledge and skills they bring will help further build our leadership capability."
Kevin, who has always lived in the east of England, has more than 18 years’ experience in the ambulance service.
He spent his first 10 years as a paramedic in the Beds and Herts Ambulance and Paramedic Service, before moving onto the police service and then into commercial healthcare specialising in critical care.
He then worked for London Ambulance Service for nine years as an experienced strategic commander and, amongst other achievements, led the planning and delivery of the ambulance response for one of the London 2012 Olympic Games Zones.
Kevin said: "Having worked as a paramedic and also having been a community first responder, I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead the great staff and volunteers across the east of England who work exceptionally hard to provide high quality patient care.
"I look forward to working with our people to ensure that they have the best possible support in place to deliver outstanding patient care."
He continued: "I bring a wealth of experience to help us do that and having lived all my life in the region, it is a great opportunity to ensure we provide the standard of service that I would expect for myself and my family."
Wayne has extensive NHS experience in a career that has taken him from the sluice rooms to the Board room.
Wayne started as a nurse auxiliary at Bedford South Wing Hospital in 1998 before training as a nurse at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.
After qualifying he progressed to becoming a senior nurse in critical care. Wayne then moved into management working in clinical networks delivering a range of service improvement programmes before leading urgent and emergency care reform in Coventry and Warwickshire and the West Midlands.
More recently Wayne was a member of the national team for specialised commissioning at NHS England where he led the strategic planning function.
Wayne said: "I am very pleased to have been appointed to this role; I cannot wait to work with an exceptional group of staff and be part of the team that improves the ways in which we support communities across East of England."
