THE man at the head of Thurrock's health care system, which has come in for huge criticisms in recent times, has been nominated to step up and take charge of a larger, wide-ranging authority as regional governance for public administration is reshaped.

While elections are due in may for a new county-wide mayor and the government is currenbtly considering how local government reorganisation in Essex weill be shaped, the health service is also entering a period of change after the government said it wanted to slim down the administrative and bureaucratic structures within it.

Tom Abell is currently CEO of Mid and South Essex ICB, a role he has held for just over a year, and during which there have been many much-documented health care failings in the region.

At a recent meeting of Thurrock Council's adult health care overview and scrutiny committee, he conceded that issues such as 'silo working', lack of engagement and consultation and layers of bureaucracy has contributed to a poor health service for the people of south Essex, particularly in Thurrock.

He apologised for the lack of improvement to tackle well-documented problems and pledged that things would get better.

Watch the meeting via this link:

Mr Abell was previously CEO of the East of England Ambulance Service, recently rated the country's worst in government performance league tables – and prior to that he was deputy chief executive of Mid and South Essex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust which has been subject to several damning critiques by health watchdogs.

During his tenure at the Hospitals Trust he championed the project to build four integrated medical centres in Corringham, Tilbury, Grays and Purfleet, which would pay for the closure of Orsett Hospital and disposal of its land.

His latest move on the health career ladder is to be appointed Chief Executive Designate of the new Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) cluster, which will operate in shadow form in the coming months and will formally replace the current three ICBs which cover Essex next year.

He says: "While the formation of a single ICB reflects the national policy direction, we have the opportunity in Essex to shape what this really means - locally, practically, and in service of the communities we support together.

"I've been Chief Executive of Mid and South Essex ICB for the last year. In that time, I've seen the enormous value that comes from strong relationships across the NHS, local government, the voluntary sector and beyond. Our ability to improve outcomes depends on these connections - and deepening them will be a central part of how we work moving forward.

Tom Abell speaking recently to councillors in Thurock.

"We will have a key role in securing the needed improvement for our local communities.  The move to an Essex ICB presents an opportunity to simplify care commissioning and delivery, with a sharper focus on prevention, early intervention, and tackling inequalities.  Building on place-based partnerships will be fundamental to this.

"I am pleased to see good progress already being made with: Positive strides in cardiovascular care helping to prevent up to 90 heart attacks and strokes in just one year.  Local residents are benefitting from better access to GP appointments, with practices delivering over 71,000 more in June and July than last year — as the NHS experiences its busiest summer in general practice. We have also seen some important developments to bring more care into our communities.

"However, as the recent publication of the NHS league tables has highlighted, we know there is much more to do and none of that can happen in isolation. It requires shared purpose and ownership. I, and my colleagues from our neighbouring ICBs, are committed to working collaboratively to ensure we are able to make the right decisions together for the population of Essex as we transition to the new organisations."

The three ICBs currently covering Essex include:

• NHS Mid and South Essex
• NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex
• NHS Suffolk and North East Essex

There are national changes to the current structure of Integrated Care Boards. In the East of England, the change will see the current six ICBs reorganised into three ICBs:

• Essex ICB
• Central East ICB
• Norfolk and Suffolk ICB

 About NHS Mid and South Essex

NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) is responsible for deciding how the NHS budget for mid and south Essex is spent. 

It is also responsible for developing a plan to improve people's health, deliver higher quality care and better value for money.

You can find out more about the ICB's responsibilities here: https://www.midandsouthessex.ics.nhs.uk/about/boards/integrated-care-board/about/