New CEO appointed at East of England Ambulance Service

Neill comes with a wealth of senior NHS experience and a depth of understanding relating to our health care system. He has a strong background in urgent and emergency care including the work of the ambulance services, which will be vital in continuing the improvement of our service for our people and patients.

Neill is currently the director of system recovery at Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board and Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

Previously, Neill served as director of urgent and emergency care tiering support at NHS England and from 2018 to 2023 was managing director and deputy chief executive at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

His appointment comes after a rigorous co-produced recruitment process involving just under 300 of our people. This saw recruitment specialists Hays identify candidates before a shortlisting panel made up of NHSE, senior ICB colleagues and Trust Chair, Mrunal Sisodia whittle down over 35 applications to a final selection for interview.

Those candidates met with three stakeholder panels – the first of staff and volunteers and Union colleagues from EEAST, the second including executive directors, non-executive directors and ICB colleagues, and the third featuring EEAST’s EDI network chairs, wellbeing team and EEAST charity representatives. Finally, having concluded all our background checks, we can now officially announce Neill’s appointment.

Mrunal Sisodia, EEAST Chair said:

“I am really looking forward to welcoming Neill to Team EEAST as our chief executive. He joins at a really important point for EEAST – we have made genuine progress on many staff, cultural and operational issues but now need to embed those changes and push on to make further progress. I know that his skills and wealth of experience will be hugely beneficial in supporting us with our next steps. I am extremely proud of our co-produced recruitment process and am very grateful to all our colleagues that have been part of this important process.”

Neill said:

“I am delighted to be offered the opportunity to lead the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust as its new chief executive and to continue the great work already started. I am passionate about urgent and emergency care and will be committed to improving the services we deliver to our communities whilst supporting our people with the ongoing cultural improvements. I recognise this role is a huge privilege and I am really looking forward to meeting and working with EEAST colleagues.”

Neill will take up the post on 2 September.