Bill has been Chief Executive Officer of Wessex AHSN since 2016. He has over 30 years’ experience in NHS management, with over 20 operating at Board level, either as a Director or Chief Executive. He has worked at every level of the system: from PCT Chief Executive, Health Authority Director, Strategic Health Authority Director to civil servant.

The AHSN focuses on all things that enhance the adoption and scaling of evidence-based innovation. This can range from working with ARC research teams on early thinking about implementation of research findings, to a national leadership role on the scaling of a NICE-approved technology, to understanding and supporting the development of innovation adoption-friendly cultures. Bill has led the national AHSN Network roll-out into practice of research on reducing medication errors in primary care and transfer of care around medicines. Over the past three years, joint appointments have been made with Wessex CRN to support a successful technology support programme aimed at SMEs and local researchers, with Wessex ARC on research implementation, and with the Wessex Cancer Alliance. In addition to support for particular innovators/researchers, the AHSN has a rolling programme of reviews to help its NHS members improve their absorptive capacity for innovation. The AHSN also has a dedicated Insight team supporting local organisations to take an evidence-based approach to innovation adoption and evaluation.

Bill is the lead Chief Officer on behalf of the national AHSN Network for the Needs Assessment Service within the Accelerated Access Collaborative’s NHS Innovation Service. The Assessment Service undertakes the initial assessment of innovators’ needs and signposts them the most appropriate organisation for on-going support. Bill has also played a key role in the establishment of Wessex Health Partners, the Academic Health Science Centre for Wessex.