Hodgkins to step down from IHPN

The Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN) has announced director of regulation Dawn Hodgkins will be stepping down from the role this autumn.

Hodgkins, who leads patient safety and quality, regulatory, workforce and digital across all four nations, joined IHPN in 2020 and played a key role in supporting its members during the Covid19 pandemic, including ensuring the sector’s workforce gained access to the Covid vaccine as it was first rolled out.

She has led on major pieces of work including the sector’s response to the Bishop of Norwich’s inquiry into Ian Paterson and Baroness Cumberlege’s Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review (IMMDS). She has also overseen a significant improvement in the safety and quality of care in the sector, with CQC ratings for independent hospitals going from 75% being rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ when she joined to 92% this year.

In addition to developing new guidance for the sector around multidisciplinary team working and the role of Resident Doctors, Hodgkins led on embedding IHPN’s Medical Practitioners Assurance Framework (MPAF) within independent healthcare providers. She will complete the review of the MPAF announced by IHPN in March, which is due for publication in the autumn.

IHPN CEO David Hare said: ‘Dawn has done an outstanding job in driving forward the patient safety agenda – navigating members through a hugely tumultuous period, from the pandemic to the ongoing changes in the healthcare regulatory world – and working with a vast array of stakeholders to ensure independent providers are seen as a core part of the safety and quality landscape.’

‘We will now begin recruiting for Dawn’s replacement who can further build on these fantastic achievements to ensure the Network is the strongest possible advocate for our members so that the safe, high quality and innovative services delivered by independent healthcare providers can be accessed by as many people as possible.’

Hodgkins said: It’s been an absolute privilege to work alongside members and colleagues across the wider healthcare system these last six years, and I’m incredibly proud of all that we’ve achieved together to further improve the quality and safety of care delivered by independent providers.

‘During this time IHPN’s membership has significantly expanded – taking on new healthcare specialties and services – and I’m now looking forward to handing over the baton in the autumn at what will be an exciting time as the health system and its regulatory landscape continues to evolve.’