National Council for Palliative Care announces new Chief Executive

The National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Claire Henry as its new Chief Executive. She will succeed Eve Richardson who is stepping down from the charity at the end of March 2014 after 14 years as NCPC’s Chief Executive.

Confirming the appointment Professor Mayur Lakhani, Chairman of the National Council for Palliative Care said:

“The Trustees are really pleased to have appointed someone with Claire Henry’s excellent track record and experience to lead the organisation at such an important time.

Claire combines real expertise in end of life care with the drive, determination and commitment to working collaboratively that is needed to ensure improving care and support for people who are dying is high on everyone’s agenda.

Her appointment is a great opportunity to grow the impact of our work. Whilst there have been welcome improvements in end of life care there is a real and urgent need to transform care so that it meets the needs of all those who are dying, whoever they are, whatever their diagnosis and wherever they live.”

Claire will bring the leadership necessary to ensure a strong voice for end of life care at a time of great opportunity but also challenges in a rapidly changing health and social care system.”

Claire Henry, who is currently Head of Programmes for Long Term Conditions and End of Life Care at NHS Improving Quality and was formerly Director of the National End of Life Care Programme said:

“I am delighted to accept this exciting and challenging role as Chief Executive of the National Council for Palliative Care. With an impressive track record, NCPC is a passionate and driven organisation committed to improving the quality of palliative and end of life care for all those who need it and their loved ones.

I am looking forward to working inclusively and collaboratively to make a real, significant difference to the care of people who are dying, and to continuing the fantastic work Dying Matters has been leading to make it easier for people to talk openly about dying, death and bereavement.

While great progress has been made over recent years we still have a long way to go - change simply is not happening quickly enough for people who need quality care now.

I know first-hand that the NCPC team works tirelessly to break down barriers, campaign for change, reduce inequalities and raise standards of care. I am honoured to be a part of their work and incredibly eager to get started.

I would like to thank Eve Richardson for her years of dedicated, inspiring and unwavering commitment to palliative and end of life care – she will be greatly missed.”

Professor Mayur Lakhani continued:

“I’d like to take this opportunity on behalf of all the trustees not only to welcome Claire Henry but also to thank and pay tribute to Eve Richardson for the tremendous impact she has had as NCPC’s Chief Executive.

Eve’s absolute commitment to improving end of life care and the development and leadership of NCPC, not least through setting up the Dying Matters Coalition and ensuring the involvement of people with personal experience in all aspects of our work, have always shone through, and she leaves a great legacy for Claire, and all of us to build on.”

Although stepping down as Chief Executive of NCPC, Eve plans to continue to be active in promoting good end of life care and to support the wider agenda of making communities fit for the future, especially for older people.

More about Claire Henry

Claire is currently Head of Programmes for Long Term Conditions and End of Life Care at NHS Improving Quality.

Prior to this role, Claire was Programme Director for the National End of Life Care Programme which supported the implementation of the National End of Life Care Strategy for England.

Her previous roles have included National Director for the NHS End of Life Care Programme supporting SHA/PCTs and other organisations to improve the quality of care for all adult patients nearing the end of life. She had a number of roles within the Cancer Services Collaborative ‘Improvement Partnership’ supporting cancer networks in the implementation of service redesign for cancer services. 

Claire’s background is in nursing.  She trained at South Lincolnshire School of Nursing.  After qualifying Claire worked predominately in cancer and palliative care.

She was awarded an MBE for services to improving end of life care in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2013. Last year Claire also received a lifetime achievement award at the International Journal of Palliative Nursing Awards, sponsored by Macmillan Cancer Support.

Claire will start as Chief Executive of the National Council for Palliative Care on 1 April 2014.

Further information

1. For further information please contact Joe Levenson, Director of Communications at the National Council for Palliative Care on 020 7697 1520 or 07795 158003.
2. The National Council for Palliative Care (www.ncpc.org.uk) is the umbrella charity for all those involved in palliative, end of life and hospice care in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It also leads the Dying Matters Coalition (www.dyingmatters.org) which, with over 30,000 members from across the public, voluntary and commercial sectors, aims to help transform public attitudes towards dying, death and bereavement in England.