Welcoming new Board members to Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB

Two new non-executives have been appointed by NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) to contribute their knowledge and experience to improving health outcomes across Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Evelyn Asante-Mensah OBE will join the ICB as deputy chair and Tracey Bleakley as a non-executive member. These appointments could not be at a more important time as both Evelyn and Tracey will strengthen the Board with extensive experience in NHS leadership, governance, social justice and organisational transformation.

Evelyn brings more than 30 years of board-level experience across health, housing, education, criminal justice, and voluntary, community and faith sectors in addition to extensive experience on equality, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism. Throughout her career, she has championed action on health inequalities and led organisations through significant periods of change and transformation. Her experience includes senior leadership roles across Greater Manchester's NHS organisations and serving as chair of Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, where she led significant governance improvements and supported the organisation's improvement to a 'Good' Care Quality Commission rating. Evelyn is also the co-chair of the North West Race Equity Assembly. 

Tracey brings extensive leadership and governance experience from across health and care, having served as a chief executive, accountable officer, trustee, committee chair and non-executive. Her experience includes leading NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB through financial recovery and improvement, and she is known for bringing strong strategic leadership, sound judgement and constructive challenge to boards. Tracey also has deep roots in Lancashire and South Cumbria, having grown up in the region and maintaining strong family connections locally.

Emma Woollett, chair of Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board, said: "I am delighted to announce the appointments of Evelyn Asante-Mensah OBE and Tracey Bleakley. These appointments could not be at a more important time as they will both strengthen the Board with extensive experience in NHS leadership, governance, social justice and organisational transformation."

"We had a very strong field of candidates during a robust recruitment process, which is testament to the progress made by the ICB over the past year, with a number of candidates recognising the opportunities we now have to really make a difference to the health outcomes of our population."

"The appointments come at an important time for the organisation as we continue to strengthen our role as a strategic commissioner, develop our partnerships and collaboration across the system and deliver our five-year strategic commissioning plan which all aim to support the transformation of health and care services and improve health and care outcomes for communities across Lancashire and South Cumbria."