Christine Braithwaite, the PSA’s Director of Standards and Policy is retiring on 5 July 2024, after 14 years working for the PSA to protect the public. Her career in patient/service user safety spans almost 30 years including time with the Health Service Ombudsman, the Care Quality Commission and its two predecessor bodies.
Following an external recruitment process, Melanie Venables, currently the PSA’s Head of Accreditation, will take over the role, renamed as Director of Policy and Communications, on 1 July 2024.
Christine Braithwaite said:
"It has been a privilege to serve the public, both here and in my previous roles. It is imperative that patients and service users are kept safe, and I pay tribute to all the people I have worked with here, and in my previous roles to protect them. There continue to be challenges ahead and it is essential that all those in regulation focus on listening to and acting on the things patients and service users tell us about the safety of care."
Alan Clamp, PSA CEO said:
"Christine has been invaluable to the work of the PSA over the last 14 years. Her commitment to protecting the public has been exemplary. Her wisdom and her companionship will be much missed. I would like to thank Christine for all she has done for us and wish her a relaxing and fulfilling retirement."
We welcome Melanie Venables as our new Director of Policy and Communications. Melanie’s skills, experience and passion for good regulation and registration will be hugely beneficial for our work."
ENDS
Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care
Contact: media@professionalstandards.org.uk
Notes to the Editor
- The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care oversees 10 statutory bodies that regulate health and social care professionals in the UK.
- We assess their performance and report to Parliament. We also conduct audits and investigations and can appeal fitness to practise cases to the courts if we consider that sanctions are insufficient to protect the public and it is in the public interest.
- We also set standards for organisations holding voluntary registers for health and social care occupations and accredit those that meet them.
- We share good practice and knowledge, conduct research and introduce new ideas to our sector. We monitor policy developments in the UK and internationally and provide advice on issues relating to professional standards in health and social care.
- We do this to promote the health, safety and wellbeing of users of health and social care services and the public. We are an independent body, accountable to the UK Parliament.
- Our values are – integrity, transparency, respect, fairness and teamwork – and we strive to ensure that they are at the core of our work.
- More information about our work and the approach we take is available at www.professionalstandards.org.uk