ICB chairs made dames in New Year Honours
Two integrated care board chairs, one a former health secretary and the other a leading antiracism campaigner, have been made Dames in the 2025 New Year Honours.
Three serving trust chief executives have also received honours.
Dame Patricia Hewitt has led the Norfolk and Waveney system since 2017, becoming first the chair of its sustainability transformation partnership and then the ICB. The system has been one of the most challenged in the NHS for many years, but did leave the highest level of NHS England oversight for the first time in early 2024.
Dame Patricia was health secretary between 2005 and 2007. In 2022, she was asked by then chancellor Jeremy Hunt to conduct an inquiry into the future of integrated care systems.
Her government testimonial said the “the findings of her review will continue to inform national policy and local action in the years to come”. A key recommendation was to shorten national NHS planning guidance and strip back national priorities and funding ringfences — something Wes Streeting says he favours.
Dame Marie Gabriel has been the chair of North East London Integrated Care Board since its creation. A former management consultant, she also chaired mental health providers East London, and Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trusts.
A long-term equality campaigner, she was appointed the founding chair of the NHS Race and Health Observatory in 2021.
The chief executive of Milton Keynes FT, Joe Harrison, is made a CBE. Mr Harrison is also the national director for digital channels and is leading the development of the NHS App.
The CEOs of Berkshire Healthcare FT, Julian Emms, and County Durham and Darlington FT, Sue Jacques, were awarded OBEs.
Other senior healthcare figures to receive honours include NHS England director of specialised commissioning John Stewart (who is made a CBE), as well as Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals FT medical director Sanjay Arya, and NHS Blood and Transplant medical director Gail Miflin (who both received OBEs).
The King’s Ambulance Service Medal was awarded to Darren Farmer, director of ambulance operations at London Ambulance Service; and Lisa Ward, director of people for North West Ambulance Service.