We have recruited nine national advisors to provide advice and leadership on how we inspect and regulate mental health and learning disability services across England.
They will join our Hospitals Directorate and will work with Dr Paul Lelliott, Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (lead for Mental Health) as we continue our plans to inspect every NHS mental health hospital by April 2016.
As clinicians, the professionals will draw on their extensive experience to advise CQC on its regulatory actions
Dr Paul Lelliott, Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals, said:
“I would like to congratulate the nine clinicians who will be joining CQC as national advisors. The appointments of these very senior nurses and doctors and psychologists demonstrate how serious we are about having the necessary expertise in every aspect of the mental health and learning disabilities services that we inspect.
“The national professional advisers will help to lead our inspection teams and advise on the services that we regulate They will also give policy advice so that we make accurate judgements about whether services are safe, effective, caring responsive and well led based on sound evidence and taking full account of people who use services.’
“It is vital that we tap into the best, current expert thinking so that we can do everything possible to encourage services to give highly vulnerable people the care and support we expect and that they deserve.”
The nine national professional advisors for mental health are:
Mental health services for children and young people (community and in-patient)
Dr Ann York will take the role of national advisor for community mental health services for children and young people. Ann retired in 2014 as consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist. She continues to work in the area of service improvement, nationally and internationally.
Dr Margaret Murphy will take the role of national advisor for in-patient mental health service for children and young people. Margaret is a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist based in Cambridge. Her clinical role is in a specialist inpatient unit for young people with severe eating disorders. Margaret previously worked in inpatient units for young people with severe mental health problems. She was also the Chair of the Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry within the Royal College of Psychiatrists from 2009-2013.
Forensic mental health services
Dr Paul Gilluley will take the role of national advisor for forensic mental health services. Paul is also currently the Head of Forensic Services at the East London Foundation Trust and a consultant forensic psychiatrist. He has previously been the Chair of the Quality Network for Forensic Mental Health Services based at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He also sits for CQC on national oversight group for high secure services and also the Forensic Faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Old age mental health care
Dr James Warner will take the role of national advisor for old age mental health care. James has over 15 years’ experience as a consultant old age psychiatrist in Central North West London Foundation Trust. He has experience in community, inpatient and liaison services and worked for four years as clinical director for old age mental health services across five London boroughs. He is also Medical Director of Red & Yellow Care and is currently Chair of Faculty of Old Age Psychiatry at the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Mental health rehabilitation services
Professor Helen Killaspy, is an Honorary Consultant (at Camden and Islington NHS FT) and Professor of Rehabilitation Psychiatry (at UCL). She is also the immediate past chair of the Faculty of Rehabilitation and Social Psychiatry of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Helen chairs an expert group that draws up and reviews quality standards for these services for the RCPsych's Centre for Quality Improvement "AIMs-Rehab" peer accreditation programme.
Learning Disabilities
Dr Theresa Joyce and Dr John Devapriam will take on the roles of national advisors for learning disabilities.
Theresa is a clinical psychologist who has worked in a large mental health trust as the professional lead and manager of psychology services for adults with learning disabilities, specialising in those with additional mental health needs and/or challenging behaviour. Theresa is a former Chair and current committee member of the Faculty for Intellectual Disabilities of the BPS and has worked as the Safeguarding Adults & Mental Capacity Act lead for the Trust, developing policies and procedures relevant to this. She has also authored guidance on making best interests decisions under the Mental Capacity Act.
John currently works as consultant psychiatrist at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust as part of their learning disabilities service, caring for adults with learning disabilities. He is also the clinical director for adult mental health inpatients and crisis services in the Trust. He is an executive committee member and academic secretary of the faculty of learning disability at the Royal College of Psychiatrists and a medical member of the mental health Tribunal service.
Mental health nursing
Vanessa Ford and Professor Jonathan Warren and will take the roles of national advisors for mental health nursing.
Jonathan is Executive Director of Nursing at East London Foundation Trust has held a number of senior operational and professional roles across a variety of settings. He is also visiting Professor at City University teaching the nurses of the future.
Vanessa is a registered mental health nurse and she brings expertise in mental health nursing, leadership and governance. Currently Vanessa works as the Director of Nursing Standards and Governance for West London Mental Health Trust, having previously been in a very similar role in Devon. When working clinically, Vanessa specialises in the treatment of eating disorders and personality disorders and has experience of establishing services in the private sector as well as the NHS.
Vanessa and Jonathan will be working together to establish clear guidance and advice of key areas of nursing practice, such as care planning, as well as advice on the well led domain with regards to governance and leadership.