Appointment of new Chief of Clinical Operations

Dear Colleagues,

As a number of you are already aware, we have been making some changes to the way our Executive team works to make sure we’re responding to the needs of the communities we serve and that we are well placed to continue to make positive change in the way we operate.

Following careful consideration and interview process I am pleased to announce the appointment of Melissa Dowdeswell as our new Chief of Clinical Operations, many of you will already know Melissa given the leadership she has been providing to our clinical and operational teams over the last year. 

The creation of this role also means we will be making some changes to portfolios, most notably with our Operational Support teams moving into this new portfolio to better join up the way we work building on the changes we are making through Time to Lead.  Melissa is working with Kevin Smith and Jackie Nugent on this transition, and they will be working with the teams affected over the coming days on how and when we will make this change.

Melissa’s appointment means that our current Director of Nursing role will become vacant, and following conversation with our Board we have agreed to replace the role of Director of Nursing with what I believe will be a pivotal new position within our service – the Chief Paramedic / AHP and Executive Director of Quality.  This role will serve as a cornerstone in enhancing professional leadership and clinical excellence across our service, alongside ensuring that we maintain the highest standards of patient care and strengthening the voice of the paramedic profession within our Executive Team and Board.

We will shortly be advertising this role for recruitment, with the aim for us to be undertaking final interviews in early December, but in the immediate term I have asked Simon Chase to act into this role whilst we undertake this recruitment process so we can move to these new portfolios faster and in preparation for the winter ahead.

- Tom Abell

Published 3rd October 2023