NHS Providers appoints new CEO
NHS Providers has appointed an ambulance trust boss who also has extensive acute sector experience as its new chief executive.
Daniel Elkeles, London Ambulance Service Trust CEO, is set to replace Sir Julian Hartley, who left NHSP late last year to lead the Care Quality Commission.
Mr Elkeles, who will start his new role in late May, was previously CEO of Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Trust, where he served for nearly seven years prior to joining the ambulance provider.
NHSP chair Sir Terence Stephenson said he was “delighted” with the appointment and thanked NHSP deputy CEO Saffron Cordery for her ongoing work as acting CEO.
Mr Elkeles said: “I look forward to working with our members and the brilliant team at NHS Providers so that we can play a leading role in transforming the NHS into a health service of which the government, trusts and crucially, patients can be proud.
“Having led both a combined acute and community trust and an ambulance trust that also provides 111, urgent community and urgent mental healthcare, I’ve seen first-hand how NHS trusts are at the very forefront of innovation and improvement in the health service.”
Mr Elkeles leaves LAS after more than three-and-a-half years, having joined the trust at the height of the covid pandemic in 2021.
During his time at Epsom and St Helier, Mr Elkeles led on plans, and secured funding, to build a brand new £500m specialist emergency care hospital in Sutton.
He also oversaw a “significant improvement” in patient care, quality, finance and leadership, culminating in the organisation being rated as “good” by the CQC.
The CEO also led on initiatives to improve culture and morale, resulting in Epsom and St Helier having strong scores in the staff survey in measures about equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as staff health and wellbeing.
He also has commissioning sector experience, having been the accountable officer for five clinical commissioning groups in north west London.
Mr Elkeles replaces Sir Julian, who was in the NHSP role for just under two years. Sir Julian recently joined the CQC, which was last year branded “not fit for purpose” by health and social care secretary Wes Streeting. Mr Streeting’s comments followed a damning review of the regulator by Dr Penny Dash, who has been chosen as NHS England’s new chair.
Professor Sir Terence said: “[Daniel] will spearhead our new strategic vision and help members deliver improvements for patients, service users and the communities they serve during a period of immense change and challenge in the health service.
“We have been through a robust process to find the right individual to provide leadership and support for our members, to influence key decision makers, and inspire and lead our staff team, reflecting our values and our commitment to becoming an anti-racist organisation.
“I would like to give my particular thanks to Saffron Cordery, who as interim chief executive has led NHS Providers with great enthusiasm, insight and integrity.”