New Chief Executive Officer Designate appointed for future Sussex Integrated Care Board

Adam Doyle has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer Designate of the future Integrated Care Board (ICB) for Sussex.

Adam has been appointed following a nationally competitive recruitment process, ahead of the ICB becoming fully functional from April 2022, subject to Parliamentary approval of the current plans.

ICBs are part of the new legislative proposals set out in the Health and Care Bill 2021, which are currently at the committee stage of the Parliamentary process, receiving a detailed examination following its second reading. The ICB for Sussex will be responsible for a health budget of over £2bn and will oversee the commissioning, performance, financial management and transformation of the local NHS, as part of the Sussex Integrated Care System (ICS).

Adam has worked within the Sussex system for the last five years and is currently the leader of the Sussex ICS as well as the Chief Executive Officer for the three Sussex Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).

He has overseen the significant turnaround of the commissioning system across Sussex, having taken the original seven CCGs from an inadequate to a good position, and the reshaping of the Sussex ICS into one of the most improved systems in the country. Over the last 18 months, he has led the NHS system response to COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccination programme, as well as the continued transformation and development of the ICS ahead of the proposed national reforms.

Adam started his NHS career as a physiotherapist and has held a number of senior healthcare roles, which have included advising government departments on key strategic public policy reforms. He said:

“I am delighted, and it is a real honour, to be given the opportunity to lead the Sussex system as we go into the next stage of our development. We have made so much progress as a system and this has been down to the hard work of our staff and the collective commitment across all our partners to collaboration and improvement for the benefit of our populations.

“As we look to build on our progress, I will be focusing specifically on the transformation of the system to ensure our communities continue to receive the care they need in the short, medium and long-term future. We face many challenges as a system, as well as opportunities for further improvement and development, and my leadership priority will be to ensure we are addressing and realising these with long-term solutions and actions that will achieve better outcomes for our populations.”

The confirmation of Adam as the new Chief Executive Officer Designate follows the appointment last month of Stephen Lightfoot as the new Chair Designate for the ICB.

Stephen, who officially started his role on 1 November 2021, said:

“Adam’s appointment is extremely positive for our system and I know will be widely welcomed across partners and stakeholders.

“Our local health and care system has made significant progress under Adam’s leadership and this has brought real improvements in how we work with partners for the benefit of everyone in Sussex. We have seen improvements in quality, governance, financial management, commissioning and relationships across the system and Adam has played an integral role in making this happen.

“His proven track record of delivery and his focus as a leader on health outcomes, quality of services, robust governance, and building an inclusive, values-based culture will be essential as we take Sussex forwards into the next stage of our system development.

“Adam and I will be spending the coming months assessing and developing the current and future ways of working, together with our partners and stakeholders, to ensure the future ICB can deliver the Sussex 2025 Vision of better health and care for all.”