The Minister for Health and Social Care, Howard Quayle MHK, has today announced the appointment of Mark Charters as Chief Executive of the Department of Health and Social Care.
Mr Charters has wide-ranging experience in leadership roles within the UK public sector, particularly in housing and social care services for adults, children and families having worked at Director-level in Southampton, Northamptonshire and most recently in the London Borough of Bexley.
Commenting on the appointment Minister Quayle said:
'We undertook a rigorous recruitment process to find someone with the qualities and experience to lead the new Department in addressing the major health and social care challenges facing the Island. I have great pleasure in welcoming Mark to the Isle of Man where I am certain his wealth of knowledge and proven track record from the UK public sector will serve us well in delivering a health and social care system that is fit for the future.'
Mr Charters began his professional career as a social worker in his early 20s, working in the fields of mental health, children and families, physical disability and older person’s services before progressing to public service management in his late 30s. Mr Charters has played a leading role in developing innovative service models and turning around failing services, such as joining up health and social care services in Northamptonshire to deliver a single care pathway and turning around social care services in Bexley before being asked to do the same for the Borough’s children’s services.
Mr Charters said:
'I am over the moon at being asked to join the Isle of Man community, to make a home here and to help the Island deliver outstanding health, housing and social care services; but also to be part of a team that continues to drive up standards across the Island’s public services.
'We need to achieve high standards and value for money for the Isle of Man, delivering the Government’s vision of a thriving local health and social care service that places the citizen at its heart and addresses the demographic pressures that we face.'
Mr Charters added:
'The Isle of Man shares many of the challenges facing the UK: increased population, an ageing community, increasing costs and demand for public services. However I believe the Isle of Man has the leadership, vision and local control to make the decisions needed to not only meet these challenges, but provide health and social care services of which the Island can be proud. That is my ambition and, in my opinion, the Isle of Man has a unique opportunity to deliver this ambition.'
Mr Charters identifies with what he terms “close knit, supportive and independent societies” having grown up in Cyprus and New Zealand, giving him a familiarity with island life that attracted him to the role along with his personal interest in the Isle of Man.
Mr Charters is expected to take up his post in July.
