Walsall Together and OneWolverhampton Place Based Partnerships are delighted to welcome Stephanie Cartwright as the new Group Director of Place.
Starting her career as an apprentice in the NHS, Stephanie now has more than 30 years’ experience, and brings with her a wealth of knowledge in a wide range of areas including development of organisational strategies, people and stakeholder management and leadership. She has held Board level roles for more than 10 years and has worked more recently supporting the development of integrated care, something which she is extremely passionate about.
“I am a real people person and I truly believe that the foundation of integrated care lies in the relationships that are built to enable it" she said.
“Bringing people together, breaking down those barriers and improving co-ordination and communication across multiple organisations and teams is key to providing the best care for our residents. Ultimately, we are all working for the same aim and the person should be at the centre of their care. The better we can work together to deliver this, the better experience it is for the people we collectively care for.”
Listening to the voice of residents and ensuring services are designed and delivered according to what needed in different areas is fundamental according to Stephanie.
“Wherever we live, affluence and deprivation play a huge part in how people access care and receive services. I have seen many examples during my years of a blanket approach to service provision and this sometimes does not work.
“We should be using good data which presents a single version of the truth and be listening to our local communities. There shouldn’t be any area of a population that can’t access the same level of care but the way that care might be delivered could be. It is within our collective power to reduce inequalities and improve population health.”
Stephanie’s knowledge around working together as a system is something which she believes will enable her to support some wider conversations around system and place working and ensure all partners feel valued.
“I know there can sometimes be frustrations when it comes to decision making and moving forward - especially when there are so many partners involved. I am happy to constructively challenge but most importantly support partners to work together.”
As a Group Director across both Walsall Together and OneWolverhampton, Stephanie recognises that each place has different models of care and will have its different challenges. She is confident her wide range of experience across a number of key areas will enable her to add value equally to both partnerships.
She added: “I really believe in creating an environment where everyone feels empowered and has a sense of belonging and pride. This kind of culture where everyone can realise their potential is what drives innovation and delivers success.
“The ambition of both partnerships is truly inspiring, and I am really looking forward to seeing the impact the realisation of this this will have on the people we serve.”
