New Chief Executive announced for National Skills Academy for Social Care
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
27 May 2011
Diane Lawson has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of the National Skills Academy for Social Care.
Born in England and brought up in Australia from the age of 10, Diane combines extensive experience in both skills and social care. One of the first graduate nurses in Australia, she has been responsible for staff development in mental health hospitals and acute units; been General Manager of the Australia Human Resources Institute; and Chief Executive of the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council, where she grew the organisation from 4 staff to 40 and established a strong revenue base.
Currently working in the UK as Interim Director of Education and Training at the Solicitors Regulation Authority, where she is leading a review of education and training, Diane is looking forward to returning to social care. She will begin at the Skills Academy on 18th July.
David Sherlock, Chair of the Skills Academy, stated: “We are delighted that Diane has accepted this appointment. She will bring experience of social care, knowledge of the education and skills sector; and a track record of leading and developing a social care organisation at Chief Executive level. We look forward to welcoming her to the Skills Academy.”
In a statement, Diane has said: “I am thrilled to be taking on this important role. We all know the challenges facing the sector, and it is vital that the social care workforce feels empowered to lead and manage so that people using services receive excellent care. I am looking forward to working with the board, staff and members of the Skills Academy so that it can fulfil its mission and play a central role in the future of adult social care.”
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Editors’ Notes
- The employer-driven National Skills Academy for Social Care focuses on leadership, management and commissioning and modelling excellence in learning, in adult social care.
- It is the first welfare-related Academy in the network of National Skills Academies which are employer-led centres of training excellence established by industry to create a world-class workforce by delivering the skills that employers need in each sector of the economy.
- The Skills Academy’s remit is to promote and support excellent learning and training for the 1.6 million workers and 40,600 employers in social care with a particular emphasis on small and medium-sized employers. Demographic changes mean the social care workforce is expected to rise to 2.5 million by 2025.
- The Skills Academy is led by a Board of employer representatives from across the statutory, private and not-for-profit sectors within adult social care.
- For more information visit www.nsasocialcare.co.uk
For more information please contact:
Feeroza Patel
0203 2960 537
feeroza.patel@nsasocialcare.co.uk
