The South West AHSN welcomes new Chair, Anna Walker CB 

Anna Walker CB will lead the board of the South West Academic Health Science Network from October. She brings with her extensive experience of strategic roles from across healthcare and other essential services, in the public, private and charity sectors.  

Anna is currently on the Board at South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and is Chair of their Partnership Committee. She also chairs the St George’s Hospital charity, is a Lay Member of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and Member of the Competition Appeals Tribunal.  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, under Anna’s leadership, the St Georges’ Hospital Charity in South London doubled both its fundraising and grant giving. As Joint Deputy Chair of South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Anna has played a key role in introducing new quality priorities, involving service users and carers in governance and championing equality and inclusion for service users and staff. 

Anna has experience of policy, governance and practice in the South West as well as nationally. She has been responsible for rural policy at the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and a Non Executive Director on the Board of Welsh Water. She was Chief Executive of the Healthcare Commission from 2004 to 2009 (the CQC’s predecessor).  

CEO Jon Siddall said “We are delighted to welcome Anna as our new Chair. Anna brings a wealth of experience to our Board. Her passion, commitment and energy to improve public services and enhance population health was evident throughout the Board’s recruitment process. I look forward to working with Anna to support our partners to improves the lives of people across our region.”  

“I am so pleased to be joining Jon and the board of the South West AHSN” said Anna, responding to the announcement of her role as the new Chair. “The South West AHSN has a vital role to play in ensuring the spread of innovative and best practice, helping colleagues across the sector to understand and tackle the most pressing issues in health and care at this time.”  

“I’ve been hugely impressed by the work of the dedicated team at the South West AHSN and its commitment to partnership working. I look forward to supporting the ambitious plans of the organisation in addressing health equity and improvements to services for those living in the South West over the coming years.”