Thank you and farewell to Will Warburton, Director of Improvement

After seven years as our Director of Improvement, Will Warburton will be leaving the Health Foundation in January 2022 to take up the role of Managing Director at the Shelford Group. We congratulate him on his new role.

Dr Jennifer Dixon, Chief Executive of the Health Foundation, said: 

'While leading our Improvement directorate, Will has made a significant contribution to improving health care services in the UK through our funding of improvement projects led by frontline clinical teams, patient communities and health care systems to test new approaches and to spread what works. Many of these award-winning projects have had large scale impact both nationally and internationally and have benefited patients. 

'Will has also been instrumental in building assets that will have a long-term impact at a larger scale and strengthen the NHS’s capability to undertake effective change. These include establishing the Q Community, THIS Institute and the Flow Coaching Academy. Will has been a much valued member of our senior management team. He will be a hard act to follow, but we look forward to building upon these and other developments as the Foundation moves forward.’  

Will Warburton said:

'My first contact with the Health Foundation was when I was working in the NHS over 10 years ago, when I became a GenerationQ fellow. I saw then the Foundation as something of a haven; a place of ideas, learning and practical support for those who devote their working lives to the infinitely rewarding yet incredibly demanding task of making a difference to people’s health and care.

It has been a tremendous privilege to have been entrusted to lead our work on improvement over the past seven years. I’m grateful to everyone – our grant holders, fellows, partners, my fellow directors, Jennifer, our governors and many wonderful colleagues past and present – who have made the past seven years such a rewarding and enjoyable experience.

My intention now is to take the full richness of that experience back into the NHS in support of the Shelford Group, its members and its partners as the NHS faces some of the most challenging times in its history in the months and years ahead.'

Penny Pereira, Q Initiative Director will be stepping in as Interim Director of Improvement from mid-January 2022 while recruitment starts for a new permanent director. 

While Penny will continue to provide overall strategic direction for the Q Initiative, during this interim period there will be a few temporary changes in the Q leadership team to support Penny.  This includes Stacey Lally, Q Associate Director, Professional Development and Community, taking on the role of Deputy Director of Q and Faye Goldman, Head of Communications becoming Associate Director.