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The Healthcare Commission today welcomes Professor Deirdre Kelly, Ms Clare Dodgson, and Mr Clifford Prior who have been selected by the Appointments Commission as commissioners.

Headed by Chairman Professor Sir Ian Kennedy, the new appointees will join the twelve current commissioners to promote and drive improvement in the quality of healthcare and public health.

All three commissioners have a wealth of experience in the public service, voluntary sector and in health and healthcare.

Professor Deirdre Kelly is Professor of Paediatric Hepatology at the University of Birmingham and director of the liver unit, which she set up, at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Professor Kelly has been Medical Director of Birmingham Children’s Hospital since 2000, chairing the hospital’s Clinical Standards Committee and the Ethical Advisory Group.

Until recently Ms Clare Dodgson was Chief Executive of the Legal Services Commission. Prior to this she was Chief Operating Officer of Jobcentre Plus, and held roles as chief executive and director at various health authorities throughout England.

Mr Cliff Prior CBE, is the Chief Executive of UnLtd, the Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs. He was previously Chief Executive of mental health charity Rethink, and Programme Director at the Mental Health Foundation.

The Chairman of the Healthcare Commission Professor Sir Ian Kennedy comments: “I’m pleased to welcome commissioners who will bring such outstanding knowledge and experience to the work of the Commission. Each of our new commissioners brings different strengths which will be assets to the Commission as we work with patients, the public, clinicians and others to promote improvement in healthcare.

Over the last two and a half years the Commission has established itself as an authoritative voice on behalf of patients and the public, helping those who provide care to drive forward improvement in our healthcare system. I look forward to working with our new commissioners as we continue to raise the bar in terms of the delivery and quality of healthcare that patients are entitled to expect.”

For media enquiries contact Janine Maher on 020 7448 9313 or on 0777 999 0845 after hours.

Notes to editors
All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the process of selection. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public – please see the further biographies below for information on this.

Professor Deirdre Kelly is also the President of the British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Heptology and Nutrition; Chair of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Specialty Advisory Committee for Gastroenterology, Heptology and Nutrition; Chair of the National Advisory Committee for the Child Health Review (confidential enquiry for maternal and child health) and convener of a multi-disciplinary national group to plan adolescent services. She is Chairman-elect of the Lunar Society.Professor Kelly has declared no involvement in political activity in the last five years and holds no other ministerial appointments.In her role as Commissioner Professor Kelly will be remunerated £7,500 per annum.

Ms Clare Dodgson has also been the chief executive of the Sunderland Health Authority, Newcastle Family Health Services Authority and Director of Planning and Service Development for South Tyneside Family Health Services Authority. She chaired the regional waiting times task force and represented northern and Yorkshire region on the national task force. Clare has also served as a Non-executive Director on North West London Strategic Health Authority, the Child Support Agency, the Contributions Agency and the Prescription Pricing Authority. In addition she has chaired the audit committees of the Child Support Agency and the Contributions Agency. Ms Dodgson has declared no involvement in political activity in the last five years and holds no other ministerial appointments.In her role as commissioner Ms Dodgson will be remunerated £7,500 per annum.

Mr Cliff Prior CBE was a member of the Third Sector Commissioning Taskforce and the Secretary of State’s Sounding Board, the National Leadership Network for Health and Social Care, the Mental Health Task Force and the Medicines Commission, and was Vice Chair of LMCA.Mr Prior has declared no involvement in political activity in the last five years. His Ministerial appointments are NHS Mental Health Task Force 2000-2006; National Leadership Network for Health & Social Care 2005-2006; Third Sector Commissioning Taskforce 2005-2006; Ministerial Industry Strategy Group, and Secretary of State’s Sounding Board 2006. None of these ministerial appointments is remunerated. In 2004-2005 he was formally appointed Medicines Commissioner which is remunerated on a sessional basis.

This appointment has been made in accordance with the The Office of the Comissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) Code of Practice.

In his role as Healthcare commissioner Mr Prior will be remunerated £7,500 per annum.

Information on the Healthcare Commission
The Healthcare Commission started work on April 1st 2004. The organisation was created under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003.

The Healthcare Commission is chaired by Professor Sir Ian Kennedy and has a board of 14 commissioners. Anna Walker is Chief Executive of the Commission and leads a senior management team of six. Its staff are based in London, Nottingham, Solihull, Leeds, Bristol and Manchester.

The Healthcare Commission’s role is complemented by specific arrangements for the inspection of healthcare in Wales that also began on April 1st 2004. Responsibility for local inspection and investigation of NHS bodies in Wales rests with the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW), based within the National Assembly for Wales.

The Healthcare Commission does not cover Scotland as it has its own body, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. In Northern Ireland the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority carries out similar responsibilities.

Further information on the Healthcare Commission is available on www.healthcarecommission.org.uk