Five further appointments have been made to the board of Manx Care – the new body which will be responsible for the delivery of health and social care services in the Isle of Man from April 2021.
Individuals with a wide range of experience across public life, the private sector, healthcare and academia have been appointed to serve as non-executive directors.
Their appointments follow those of Andrew Foster CBE as Board Chair and Teresa Cope as Chief Executive Officer earlier in the autumn.
The opportunity to serve on Manx Care’s first Board of Directors attracted a field of almost 100 applicants from on and off Island, and two Manx residents are among the successful candidates.
Andy Guy is a consultant and project manager in the insurance industry and has lectured undergraduates in business management. Island-based, he is a member of the Heath Services Consultative Committee which offers the DHSC external feedback on its services. Andy serves on the Integrated Care Partnership Board, focused on embedding joined-up care in the community.
Vanessa Walker is a nurse by background, and has worked at senior level in the Isle of Man civil service and the Local Government Association in the UK. She has served as a non-executive director at two English NHS trusts, is currently a local councillor in east Yorkshire and has chaired her local branch of the mental health charity MIND. Vanessa has a home in the Isle of Man.
Nigel Wood is a chartered accountant and former group managing director and chief executive. His leadership experience spans company financial reviews, business analysis, strategy planning and high level negotiation. Born, educated and resident in the Isle of Man, he has chaired the Board of Governors of King William’s College and the Buchan School for eight years.
Kate Kapernaros had an international career in IT, most recently working for IBM as Director of Global Technology Services. She holds a number of non-executive directorships in public sector organisations, including Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the UK Pensions Regulator, contributing expertise in data analysis, metrics and IT service delivery.
Sarah Pinch is the managing director of a communications firm specialising in change management, staff engagement, strategic communication and crisis management. She played a key role in the successful turnaround of Bristol University NHS Trust, steering an extensive staff engagement and training programme. She lives in Bristol and visits the Island with her Manx husband when she can.
Chair designate of Manx Care Andrew Foster said:
‘I am delighted to welcome such an excellent team with so many skills and talents. We saw an impressive field of applicants and it was very hard to select just five but I think we have chosen a very strong board indeed. Almost all of those appointed either live on or have very strong connections with the Isle of Man. The task now is to get the board ready for Manx Care to go live at the beginning of April 2021.’
The Board of Directors will provide professional governance, direction and leadership for Manx Care, a new model of service delivery in the Isle of Man. Its creation was among the key recommendations of Sir Jonathan Michael’s independent review of health and care in the Island, marking an historic split with the Department of Health and Social Care.
Manx Care is designed as an operational body focused on the delivery of high quality, evidence based and sustainable health and care services to the population. The organisation will operate at arms-length from the Department of Health and Social Care, which will continue to set policy and strategy. Both organisations will be publicly funded and accountable to Tynwald and the public.
The non-executive directors, their Chair and CEO will attend an induction and orientation event in the coming weeks, either in person or virtually. The team will be introduced to senior staff and colleagues from the department and Cabinet Office, Sir Jonathan Michael and a number of stakeholders, giving members an opportunity to start building productive working relationships and to discuss plans for the Board’s first steps.
