BHF appoints former adviser to PM

The British Heart Foundation has appointed the Prime Minister’s former strategy adviser, Jacob West to its executive group.

He will head up a new healthcare innovation directorate and replaces Catherine Kelly, who is retiring as director of prevention, survival and support in February.

West is currently a national lead for NHS England’s New Care Models programme, supporting vanguard sites across England to implement new models of healthcare delivery.

Prior to this, he was director of strategy at King’s College Hospital, programme director of the Mayor of London’s Health Commission, and deputy director of the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit.

Commenting on the appointment, BHF chief executive Simon Gillespie said he will be an “excellent replacement” for Catherine, who has been with the BHF since 2010, and in her current role since 2014.

“In that time, she has led her teams to deliver standout programmes of work which have made real impact, he added.

West said: “I am delighted to be joining the British Heart Foundation to help beat heart and circulatory disease. Whilst great progress has been made in preventing and treating cardiovascular disease, it remains one of the leading causes of death in the UK. Building on BHF’s terrific research, I see huge opportunities to prevent more heart disease and provide better care. I greatly look forward to working with the whole BHF team, its volunteers, supporters and external partners.”