Sarah Burns has been appointed as Programme Director for our Independent Hospice Collaborative North East and North Cumbria.
Sarah has spent the last 23 years working for the NHS in the north east in various roles. Most recently she led work on the ICB’s commissioning plan for palliative and end of life care and the development of a comprehensive health needs assessment for our area.
Sarah said: “I’m really excited to be joining the hospice sector. Hospice care makes such a huge difference for our communities and its importance and value is being increasingly recognised by the NHS.”
David Barker MBE CEO of Willow Burn Hospice said: “We are really pleased to have Sarah’s experience, skills and ambition for our hospices and the communities we serve. The government has instructed all ICBs to ensure the sustainable commissioning of hospices ahead of the publication of the long-awaited Modern Service Framework. The appointment to the Collaborative also marks a new commitment to work closely together to ensure meaningful commissioning for our services which reflects both the work we do to support the NHS, and the experience of patients in our care.”
