Northern Health Science Alliance Chief Executive pays thanks to departing Professor Nicola Wilson.

Nicola is leaving the NHSA after six years with the Alliance to take up a new role as Chief Operating Officer (Deputy Chief Executive) at Liverpool Health Partners (LHP), the Academic Health Sciences System for Cheshire and Merseyside, in early 2022.

Dr Séamus O’Neill, Chief Executive at the NHSA, said: “Nicola’s legacy within the NHSA will be a lasting one thanks to not only her instrumental strategic and operational input over the last six years, but also due to her compassionate, caring and inclusive approach to all aspects of her work. She will be a huge miss from the team, but I’m delighted that she will remain within the North’s health science sector.

“On behalf of everyone at the NHSA, I wish her all the very best in her new role with Liverpool Health Partners.”

Nicola added: “I am incredibly grateful to the NHSA for six amazing years working alongside the core team and the Alliance members. I am now excited to be bringing my knowledge and experience to Liverpool Health Partners. LHP is renowned for improving the health outcomes of its population, and with Liverpool being the city of my birth and heritage, the region is incredibly close to my heart.

“I know the people, the culture, the health systems, and research expertise of Cheshire and Merseyside, and making my own contribution to the health and life science community is what I am most looking forward to.”

Nicola started working for the NHSA in an advisory capacity in October 2015, initially providing consultancy services on bespoke projects, and was appointed full time Chief of Staff in September 2017.

In January 2019, she was appointed Deputy Chief Executive and from February 2019 to September 2019 acted as Interim Chief Executive. During her interregnum period Prof Wilson successfully led the bid writing process for future funding from Research England, resulting in the NHSA securing £2.7m.

Her senior operational role at the NHSA also included leadership of the supra-regional healthy ageing network, from which a multi-institution Memorandum of Understanding with Canadian institutions was created in 2019.

She was conferred with the title of Professor in Practice by The Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing and the Department of Psychology at Durham University.