Two trust CEOs become NHS England advisers

Siobhan Melia, of Sussex Community, and Richard Kirby, of Birmingham Community Healthcare, will advise NHSE on community health services and neighbourhood health respectively.

The pair will also remain in their current roles, and work four days a month at NHSE.

In an internal announcement, NHSE said Ms Melia will advise on “priority areas including the delivery of timely access to community services, the integration of primary and community services, and shifting more care out of hospital”.

Mr Kirby will help NHSE develop neighbourhood health. His trust is seen as a leader in developing integrated neighbourhood teams. Alongside his CEO role, Mr Kirby leads a “Birmingham and Solihull Community Care Collaborative”– which brings together primary care, community health services, social care and the voluntary sector, in trying to develop localised integrated care.

Shifting care from hospital into the community, and developing a neighbourhood health service, are government reform priorities and due to feature in its 10-year health plan.  

Ms Melia became CEO of Sussex Community FT in 2016, and was previously its deputy chief executive and director of partnerships and commercial development. She has also served as interim CEO of the South East Coast Ambulance Service.  

She said: “This is an exciting time to help shape the future of service delivery, especially when there is an important national focus on shifting care out of hospital and into the community.”

Meanwhile, Mr Kirby has led Birmingham Community FT since 2018, was previously Walsall Healthcare Trust chief, and has more than 26 years’ experience in NHS management.

He said: “Since starting my career working with a group of GPs in south Birmingham, locally integrated health and care has been important to me and continues to drive my commitment in my current role at Birmingham Community Healthcare.”