CEO Blog - September 2015

This will be my final blog as CEO of Wessex AHSN, a time to reflect on the last three years and to look forward to some changes – personal and for the AHSN. I joined the AHSN venture in October 2012 – picking up the proposals developed by leaders across Wessex. We then went through application & interview process becoming licenced in August 2013. Since then there have been a range of programmes delivering on our licence objectives:

• Innovative approaches to meet health needs – the MISSION asthma work, improving health, shortening time to diagnosis & reducing need for admissions;
  
• Spreading the uptake of innovation – our work to ensure anticoagulants are used to prevent stroke in people with atrial fibrillation;
  
• Securing investment into Wessex and increasing research – the Bournemouth Orthopaedic Research centre;
  
• Working with Local Enterprise Partnerships to bring in wealth – the Wessex Life Science Cluster programme;
  
• Supporting spread of good practice – our leadership role across the AHSN Network on medicines optimisation.

I have been proud to lead Wessex AHSN – making a difference for patients and the economy (see our annual report for more details), I know this success has depended on the hard work of many people – our directors, the team and the many frontline professionals who are contributing to the work, as well as voluntary sector groups and patients themselves.

I am retiring at the end of September though I will be contributing on medicines optimisation and pharmacy matters for the AHSN and NHS England in a very part-time capacity from November.

We hope to announce my successor soon but meanwhile the senior team along with the chair will continue with the programmes and begin to plan for 2016-17. Our Members and Stakeholders meetings in October will help shape this.

One final change I’ll be signing off before I go is the new website – the team have worked hard over the summer to design and create the site and I trust it will make easier reading for all who support us. We want the website to help signpost people, to be a place to find resources and help everyone get the most from the AHSN.

It’s been a great pleasure working with so many people and I look forward to hearing more of the impact the AHSN is making in future years.

Martin Stephens

Chief Executive