Hospice UK chief executive Tracey Bleakley is leaving the charity after six years to take a newly created senior NHS role.

She has been appointed to the new role of chief executive of the Integrated Care Board for Norfolk and Waveney’s Integrated Care System.

This is one of 42 systems across England, created to better integrate care and support across hospitals, mental health, GPs, councils and social care.

Bleakley will join the new NHS body in January 2022.

During her time at the charity, she led negotiations for the hospices sector with ministers to secure more than £300m in government funding to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are sorry that Tracey is leaving Hospice UK but delighted to see her take the next step in her career,” said Hospices UK chair Paul Jennings.

“Since joining Hospice UK in 2016, she has shown extraordinary leadership and innovative thinking to drive for change and address inequalities in quality and availability of care for people at the end of their life.

“Tracey secured more than £300 million funding for hospices during COVID that enabled them to continue providing care at this critical time. She was also instrumental in securing free PPE for hospices which has now seen over 50 million items distributed.

“Tracey’s leadership has steered Hospice UK and enabled support and sustainability of the hospice sector through some of the toughest moments in its history and she will be very missed.”

Bleakley added: “I am delighted that in my new position I will still be able to connect with hospices and I remain committed to this sector that does such incredible work. During my time at Hospice UK I am proud to have been able to play a role in supporting the development of end of life care in this country.”

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