Following the recent rapid growth of our organisation, we are restructuring the executive team to help sustain the future management of the organisation.
The GP Care Group Board plans to recruit a new Chief Operating Officer (COO) while our current COO, Tracy Cannell, will job-share the Chief Executive role with the current Chief Executive Officer, Chris Banks.
The Care Group was set up with start-up funding from the CCG in 2014. Chris joined the Care Group in 2015 with the aim of winning service contracts and growing our fledgling organisation into one that is financially self-sufficient. Tracy helped us win our first major contract, the Health Visiting service, in 2016, and then the Community Health Services (CHS) contract, and became Chief Operating Officer.
Over the last three years, the Care Group has been very successful and now has several contracts worth in excess of £22million per annum and employs nearly 400 staff.
In coming to this decision, the Board conducted a robust options appraisal and HR process and believes it is in the best interests of the Care Group at this stage in its journey.
The change will enable the Care Group to broaden the senior management team within the current cost envelope, while retaining Chris's and Tracy's knowledge, expertise and leadership over the very important next few months. The new COO will bring additional knowledge and experience, helping to build on the strong foundations that have already been laid.
The recruitment process for the new Chief Operating Officer has started with an advert out on NHS Jobs. The joint Chief Executive arrangement is effective from 1 November 2018, however, both Chris and Tracy will continue to work with their current portfolios until the new COO joins the organisation.