A number of senior appointments have been made to a streamlined Executive Team providing managerial leadership for the five NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups in mid and south Essex. The focus of the new team will be supporting the health and wellbeing of local people by working in partnership with other health and care organisations including councils and charities.

The appointments include an Executive Director of Nursing and Quality and an NHS Alliance Director (ADs) for each of the four areas across mid and south Essex. All appointees were current members of staff at the CCGs. They include:

  • Executive Director Nursing and Quality – Rachel Hearn
  • Alliance Director, Basildon and Brentwood– William Guy
  • Alliance Director, Mid Essex– Dan Doherty
  • Alliance Director, South East Essex– Tricia D’Orsi
  • Alliance Director, Thurrock– Mark Tebbs

The Executive Director of Nursing and Quality will provide Boards with strategic clinical and professional leadership for nursing and quality. Her responsibilities include safeguarding, adult and children’s continuing healthcare (CHC), infection prevention and control, and HR services to mid and south Essex CCG staff.

The Alliance Directors will be responsible for delivering improved services tailored to the needs of residents in their respective areas and for ensuring in particular that Primary Care Networks are supported and successful.

The appointment process for a Chief Finance Officer is in progress and should be concluded soon.

Anthony McKeever, Executive Lead for Mid and South Essex Health and Care Partnership and Joint Accountable Officer for its five CCGs said:

“During these challenging times it is vital, more than ever, that we all work together across mid and south Essex to reduce inequalities and support the health and wellbeing of 1.2 million local residents.

I look forward to working with the Joint Executive Team to drive forward real change working with our partners to achieve the best health outcomes for local people”.

Following these managerial changes, Mid and South Essex CCGs will soon be recommencing the process for developing an application to become one organisation. This engagement programme was paused in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 response but will be restarted again shortly.

It is currently planned that an application to become one organisation will be submitted to NHS England by Spring 2021 so that if approved, the merger will take place by Spring 2022. The feedback received from residents and stakeholders between February and April this year (through face to face events up until March 2020 and through surveys until April) is currently being reviewed and further stakeholder engagement will recommence in the coming weeks.

Further information about appointees

Rachel Hearn

Rachel is a Registered Nurse and the Executive Director of Nursing and Quality for the Mid and South Essex Clinical Commissioning Groups. Rachel has over 20 years’ clinical experience as a nurse within the NHS. Having worked predominantly in emergency and general medicine, Rachel’s work has focused on the changing face of emergency care. Within her scope of work in commissioning, Rachel has led on workstreams to improve patient safety and patient experience.

William Guy

William has worked as a health service commissioner within South West Essex for 15 years with experience across primary, community and acute sectors. Previously, William was Director of Strategy for Transformation/Chief Operating Officer for Basildon and Brentwood Clinical Commissioning Group since November 2017.

Dan Doherty

Dan was previously Director of Clinical Commissioning at Mid Essex CCG and was then appointed Director of Clinical Transformation and Deputy Accountable Officer in January 2018.

Dan is a practising physiotherapist who previously worked at St Peter’s Hospital in Maldon.

Tricia D’Orsi

Tricia joined South Essex PCT as Clinical Education Lead in 2010 following her work as an Advance Nurse Practitioner in General Practice. Tricia was the Chief Nurse for Castle Point and Rochford CCG and Southend CCG. In April 2020, Tricia became Interim Deputy Accountable Officer for both CCGs. Tricia has over 30 years of nursing experience which she uses to lead development within the CCGs with a key focus on Quality, Engagement & Integration.


Mark Tebbs

Mark joined Thurrock CCG in 2013 and has been a member of the Board for the last five years, driving work on integrated care within the CCG as well as undertaking the role of Senior Responsible Officer for Mental Health across the mid and south Essex Health and Care Partnership. Previously Mark was the Deputy Accountable Officer for Thurrock CCG since March 2020.