Croydon's most senior nurse appointed as the Chief Nursing Officer for the NHS in South West London
Elaine Clancy has been appointed as the new Chief Nursing Officer for the NHS South West London Integrated Care Board, continuing a career that began over 30 years ago, including more than 20 years on the frontline of the NHS in South West London.
Trained both as a general and paediatric nurse specialising in emergency care, Elaine joined the NHS in Croydon in 2008 and was appointed as our Chief Nurse at Croydon Health Services in 2019. As one of the most senior clinicians at our Trust, she is also the Executive Director responsible for Midwifery, Allied Health Professionals, Quality and Infection Control.
Since March 2020, Elaine has spearheaded our response to COVID-19 in one of the worst affected boroughs in the capital. COVID hit Croydon harder, faster and longer than most, with a third of our population infected by the virus, yet Elaine’s unfaltering leadership has helped to keep our patients cared for and our staff safe.
Elaine was instrumental in the development of our ‘Croydon Cares’ initiative, which brings together frontline nurses from across the NHS in Croydon to share best practice, learning and to celebrate the values of care and compassion that encourages others to join the profession and to develop in their careers.
Commenting on the announcement, Matthew Kershaw, our Chief Executive and Place Based Leader said:
“I am thrilled by Elaine’s appointment and this is absolutely the right move for her career and for the NHS in South West London – but at the same time I will be sorry to see her leave the borough. Elaine’s legacy is a contribution we will see for years to come. She has been the head and the heart of our COVID response and continued COVID recovery.
“She visits our teams across the Trust on almost a daily basis, listening to our patients, asking staff for their views and keeping the quality of our care and safety of our services at the very top of our agenda.
“It is without question that through Elaine’s leadership and the work of our colleagues in Croydon that we have saved lives and enhanced our care during the pandemic and beyond. She has led with strength, compassion and integrity, and on a personal note I will miss her counsel and friendship – and perhaps even her razor-sharp humour!”
Elaine added:
“This has been a really tough decision and I know that I will cry – a lot – when it comes to leaving my many friends and colleagues, but I am excited about what this next chapter will bring. I have been a part of the NHS in South West London for as long as my firstborn has been in my life, and this next role at the ICB will be a chance to help drive up the care available and tackle long-standing health inequalities in Croydon and our surrounding boroughs.
“Nothing can take away what we have achieved together, or what we have been through, but looking back now, I could not be more proud of how we’ve come through and how we’ve put nursing in Croydon and the calibre of our care on the map. I will miss you enormously but there will be plenty of time to say a fond farewell before I start my new role.”
Elaine will join the team in NHS South West London on 1 July, succeeding Dr Gloria Rowland as Chief Nursing Officer for the ICB. Arrangements to appoint a new Chief Nurse at Croydon Health Services will now begin and more details will follow in the very near future.