Ex-national director to lead ICS group

The former medical director of NHS Improvement – who now holds several local board roles – is to become chair of the national NHS Integrated Care System network. 

Kathy McLean has been elected by ICS members to succeed Dame Gill Morgan in leading the ICS network, which is part of the NHS Confederation.

Dr McLean currently chairs Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board and University Hospitals Derby and Burton Foundation Trust. She is also a shared board member of Barts Health Trust and Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust.

Dr McLean was NHS Improvement’s medical director from 2016 to 2019, and before that was the NHS Trust Development Authority medical director and regional medical director. She has been medical director of Derby Hospitals and trained as a consultant in geriatrics and stroke medicine.

She said in a statement: “It is a critical time for systems, and it will be important to help health and care leaders work together to share best practice, challenge each other and influence the national agenda. I’m looking forward to taking on this exciting new role and driving forward the integration agenda.”

ICS Network director Sarah Walter welcomed Dr McLean’s election at “an important phase of ICS development” and thanked the outgoing chair, Gloucestershire ICS chair Dame Gill, for “the commitment, time and energy she has put into building the network and establishing its presence as an influential force”.

Dame Gill said: “The ICS network is a vital support to ICS leaders, so I am delighted that Kathy will be taking over as chair next year.”