Dr Sarah Whiteman appointed Chief Medical Director for new Integrated Care Board

Dr Sarah Whiteman has been appointed as the Chief Medical Director for the new NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, when it takes on statutory responsibilities on 1 July 2022.

The current Clinical Chair for the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group and a GP from Milton Keynes, Dr Whiteman has a breadth of clinical experience – both in NHS England and within medical practice.

She was Medical Director for Primary Care at NHS England Hertfordshire and South Midlands Area Team, held the same position in the States of Jersey and was Associate Medical Director for NHS Improvement, a role with professional responsibility for over 70 Trusts including hospitals, mental health, Ambulance and community Trusts in the Midlands and East region.

Dr Whiteman’s portfolio career has included GP partnership, Case Examiner for the General Medical Council, being an Associate Postgraduate Dean and Adviser with National Clinical Assessment Service.

Speaking about her appointment Dr Whiteman said:

“I am thrilled to be appointed to this crucial clinical role and to be given the opportunity to continue to develop relationships that I have nurtured during my time as Medical Director for the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Commissioning Collaborative and more recently as Clinical Chair for the merged Clinical Commissioning Group.

The Chief Medical Director role will focus on multi-professional leadership development and will be focused on addressing health inequalities in our area, particularly those relating to ethnicity. It will also focus on quality improvement in collaboration with the four local authorities, NHS organisations, residents, and the voluntary sector alliance. There’s a real opportunity for us to do more to improve the health of our population and I’m excited to build on the work we’ve already started.”

Felicity Cox, Chief Executive Designate of the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board said:

“Dr Whiteman’s passion to improve the health and wellbeing of local people and communities make her a valuable colleague and I am delighted to welcome her to the Executive team of the Integrated Care Board.

“Whilst Sarah has extensive experience of system change and is a respected clinical leader locally, she remains a GP at heart – caring and compassionate, with the ability to focus on the person, sharing stories of lived experience and influencing decisions to ensure we meet local need. I look forward to working with Sarah as she builds on the crucial system relationships and puts clinical voices at the centre of our work.”

The establishment of the Integrated Care Board has been delayed following the recent Omicron wave of the Covid pandemic but will form as a legal organisation on 1 July 2022.