“"I am absolutely delighted to be joining NHS Kent and Medway ICB as Chair and cannot wait to get started. Throughout my discussions with colleagues across Kent and Medway I have been struck not only by the commitment and passion of the people working across the system, but also by the clarity of purpose and ambition for the future. There is a strong sense that Kent and Medway knows where it wants to go and has already established many of the foundations needed to get there. I have been particularly excited by the work underway to develop a more integrated and sustainable model of care through the four layers of care. The focus on supporting people to remain independent for longer, strengthening neighbourhood services, improving access to specialist care and ensuring that highly specialised services are available when needed provides a compelling vision for the future of health and care across Kent and Medway. I am equally encouraged by the organisation's emerging commissioning intentions and the ambition to move towards a more strategic, transformative approach to commissioning. The opportunity to use commissioning as a lever to improve outcomes, tackle health inequalities, drive innovation and ensure services are designed around the needs of local people is enormously exciting. Having worked across local government, the NHS, the voluntary sector and the private sector, I understand the importance of organisations coming together around a shared purpose. The challenges facing health and care are significant, but so too are the opportunities when partners work collectively in the interests of the populations they serve. Kent and Medway has a strong platform for the future, talented people, committed partners and a clear ambition to improve outcomes for local communities. I very much look forward to working alongside Adam, the Board, staff, partners, local authorities and local people as we continue this journey together and deliver lasting improvements for the residents of Kent and Medway."
Stephanie Elsy Appointed New Chair of NHS Kent and Medway
Elsy brings over four decades of leadership experience from local government, NHS, and the voluntary sector to the role, starting 12 October.
By Natalie Osborne
••4 min read
AI
Official document with seals and signatures on a desk.
Stephanie Elsy has been appointed the new Chair of NHS Kent and Medway, bringing over four decades of leadership experience from diverse sectors to the role, effective from 12 October.
Stephanie Elsy has been appointed as the new Chair of NHS Kent and Medway, with her appointment subject to the completion of formal national approvals. She will officially take up the position on 12 October, serving as chair designate from today, 5 October.
Ms Elsy brings more than forty years of leadership experience gained across local government, the NHS, the voluntary sector, and the private sector. Her most recent role was Chair of NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, where she managed a budget of £2 billion and served over one million residents. In this capacity, she led the establishment of the ICB, recruited its board and executive leadership team, and oversaw significant organisational transformation.
Previously, Ms Elsy served as Vice Chair and Non-Executive Director at Solent NHS Trust and chaired the Peninsula Acute Provider Collaborative. She also dedicated over a decade to supporting NHS organisations through board development, strategy, and governance improvement programmes. Her public service career includes senior leadership roles in local government, such as Leader of the London Borough of Southwark, where she led major regeneration projects and transformed council education services.
Ms Elsy is already familiar with the east Kent health and care system, having recently joined East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust as Interim Deputy Chair and Transformation Lead. She is currently relocating to Kent, where her family resides.
Adam Doyle, Chief Executive Officer of NHS Kent and Medway ICB, expressed his delight at Ms Elsy's appointment, highlighting her exceptional combination of NHS system leadership, governance expertise, and partnership working experience. He noted her success in leading the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board and her reputation for transforming complex organisations and focusing on community outcomes.
Mr Doyle also extended sincere thanks to Angela McNab for her outstanding support, commitment, and leadership as Vice Chair during a period of significant organisational change, ensuring stability and providing unwavering support to the board and executive team.
Based on information from the official source: NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (05/10/2026)
