How the NHS is changing in Sussex

The NHS in Sussex has appointed a chief executive to lead the process of change as the Government’s health reforms are implemented across the county.

At the moment four primary care trusts - East Sussex Downs and Weald; Hastings and Rother; West Sussex; and Brighton and Hove - are together responsible for planning and buying healthcare services for Sussex residents.

Under the Government’s proposals this responsibility will transfer to newly-formed general practice commissioning consortia – groups of family doctors who will work together to plan and buy healthcare for their communities.

The existing primary care trusts are now consolidating their teams and will come together as a county-wide ‘cluster’ led by a single chief executive from April this year.

That chief executive, it was announced last week, is to be Amanda Fadero, currently chief executive of NHS Brighton and Hove.

The Sussex-wide team will work closely with GPs to transfer knowledge and expertise and to support the new consortia as they set up.

They will also ensure that planning and buying NHS services for residents this year and next continues to be done properly and efficiently, until the handover to GPs is complete.

Amanda Fadero, designate chief executive for the NHS in Sussex, said: “I am delighted to have been asked to lead the NHS in Sussex through the next couple of years of change, as the NHS system moves from the current to new ways of working with GPs at the helm.

"It is a critical job to ensure that as well as supporting GP colleagues for the future, we also have to focus on the delivery of health services in Sussex today.

"I am looking forward to building on the progress we have made across the county to deliver even better health and care for local residents.”