We are delighted to announce two further Board appointments to NHS Dorset. We have successfully appointed Stephen Slough to the role of Chief Digital Information Officer Designate; and David Freeman to the role of Chief Commissioning Officer Designate.

We would like to share our congratulations and thank everyone involved in the recruitment process. Stephen and David have kindly written a few words about themselves which we wanted to share with you.

As our recruitment campaign for the remaining chief roles progresses, we will make further announcements.

Thank you

Jenni Douglas-Todd

Chair Designate

NHS Dorset

Patricia Miller OBE

Chief Executive Designate

NHS Dorset

Prior to joining the NHS in 2016 Stephen spent over 20 years working for Siemens, starting as an apprentice, and working his way through a variety of roles ranging from programming and application configuration to corporate strategy and governance, account management and service design/provision.

In the NHS he has held CIO roles for a variety of organisations in the Dorset ICS including Dorset CCG, Dorset Healthcare and Dorset County Hospital.  This has given him the opportunity to understand the differences and similarities in delivering services to staff and patients across Primary Care, Community and Mental Health services into the Acute Care setting.

Living with his family just outside of Dorchester in Dorset he is also an Assistant Scout Leader and a volunteer with Dorset Search and Rescue. He is a Chartered Fellow of the BCS, a Leading Practitioner of FEDIP and a Certified Healthcare CIO with CHIME.

“I joined the NHS in 2016. Prior I worked for Siemens across several roles for over 22 years. In 2013 resulting from extensive travelling for work I developed a chronic DVT. The NHS organisations in Dorset supported my recovery and I believe saved my life. As a result, when the opportunity to join the NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group as their Chief Information Officer came around, I had to apply. It was my opportunity to repay the NHS. Since 2016 I have had the opportunity to lead three of the digital teams in Dorset, plus responsibility for leading the digital transformation portfolio for the System.

“Now appointed to NHS Dorset as the Chief Digital Information Officer I am keen to continue the work I have started in Dorset, raising the standards of our security and foundation services to give us a solid platform to implement more advanced technologies. This foundation will allow us to continue to lead the way with our award-winning approach to analytics and intelligence, how we integrate innovative smart technologies used by patients to support their lives, ultimately using data to provide insights and wisdom that empower the Dorset approach to Population Health improvement and the reduction of inequalities and inequities.”

Stephen Slough
Chief Digital Information Officer Designate
NHS Dorset

David is an experienced forward thinking and progressive leader who has worked in the NHS for over 21 years across a variety of provider and commissioning roles at national, regional and local level. What drives him is a sharp focus on whole person care and population health together with a strong public service ethos.

David has successfully led strategy, service improvement and delivery initiatives as well as implemented several ground-breaking improvement and transformation programmes across a broad spectrum of areas. Key to his approach is teamwork, both with his own teams and with partners across the health and care economy.  He feels prioritising strong working relationships with colleagues, partner organisations and the public based on empowerment and mutual respect are the cornerstone of a successful future for the health and care sector.

“I firmly believe that developing care and support delivered in communities, neighbourhoods and in people’s own homes is the single most important mission for health and care leaders in the next 10 years. As a passionate champion for whole system, whole person integrated care, I have long admired Dorset’s work to transform care at neighbourhood, locality, and system level. Therefore, becoming Dorset’s new Chief Commissioning Officer is both a great privilege and a fantastic way to maximise the benefits of the forthcoming Integrated Care System legislation.

“This is our chance to rapidly accelerate plans for improving outcomes and to help make a major difference to health and wellbeing across all our communities. I am really looking forward to working closely with my new team and all our integrated care partners especially our voluntary sector, our GPs, our local authorities and most importantly, with the people of Dorset.”

David Freeman
Chief Commissioning Officer Designate
NHS Dorset

About NHS Dorset

NHS Dorset is the public name of NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board (ICB), which is set to come into being on 1 July 2022.

NHS Dorset will undertake the statutory responsibilities of the current clinical commissioning group (CCG) and will also be responsible for planning to meet the healthcare needs of people and communities in Dorset.

NHS Dorset will work with others to:

  • ​​​​Improve outcomes in population health and healthcare;
  • Tackle inequalities in outcome and access;
  • Enhance productivity and value for money;
  • Help the NHS deliver broader social and economic development, particularly post the COVID-19 pandemic.

NHS Dorset will listen to people and communities across Dorset, see things from their perspective, and co-design the services that people really need going forward, so that we can support people to live healthy and happy lives from cradle to old age.