A Therapeutic Radiographer has been promoted to director of Pre-Hospital Urgent and Emergency Care Access at NHS England.
Jennifer Keane will work closely with other teams in the operations directorate and the wider NHS England (NHSE) to provide strategic and operational leadership, and will lead responsibility for ambulances, 999 and 111.
Ms Keane has been working as part of the department since April this year.
Effective delivery and collaboration
As director, Ms Keane will be responsible for the effective delivery of pre-hospital access programmes, developing long-term strategies for such access, fostering networks with internal and external stakeholders and partners, and collaborating to identify issues and develop solutions.
Ms Keane will work across other teams where interdependencies are “crucial” to delivery – including workforce, primary and community care teams.
She will also play a lead role in shaping the culture and ways of working of the integrated urgent and emergency care (IUEC) sub-directorate.
'Important, high level and influential'
Charlotte Beardmore, executive director of professional policy at the SoR, said: “It is fantastic that a member of the radiography profession has achieved this important, high-level and influential director position in the NHS.
“Our congratulations to Jenny on this exciting appointment, and the Society and College of Radiographers are ready to work with you to support your work in improving patient access.”
Joining NHSE in November 2021 as director of rehabilitation and discharge, Ms Keane went on to become director for intermediate care, responsible for developing the policy and delivery framework for intermediate care and hospital discharge.
'Significant advancements'
Before joining NHSE, she was chief Allied Health Professions officer and policy lead for Out of Hospital Services, at the Department of Health in Northern Ireland. There, Ms Keane advised senior officials on strategic direction, policy development and operational issues.
Her efforts led to “significant advancements” in community surge planning during the pandemic and digitally delivered special educational needs and disabilities assessment and support services.
A Therapeutic Radiographer by background, Ms Keane was appointed as an Allied Health Professions consultant in the Public Health Agency in 2012.
'Passionate about driving transformation'
She has held several board-level appointments, including on the Department of Health Management Board for Rebuilding Health and Social Care (HSC) Services, the Joint Department of Health/Department of Communities Housing in Health Board, and the Northern Ireland Primary Care Board.
Ms Keane added that she is “passionate about driving transformation in the urgent, out-of-hospital, and pre-hospital space”, and that she aspires to contribute to the broader IUEC agenda and collaborate closely with senior NHSE leaders.
She said she is “enthusiastic about the opportunity for systemic reform and design, ensuring individuals are empowered to live their best lives within the constraints of available resources”.
Outside of work Jenny is a non-executive director for her local Credit Union through which she supports a number of cross community public health initiatives. She also has a keen interest in the arts and loves all forms of fibre craft, as well as painting and drawing.