Rob Persey, Executive Director for Health and Adult Social Care, has left the council after seven years in the role.
The council is currently reviewing its organisational structure and senior management in order to ensure alignment to city priorities, drive culture change and new ways of working as well as deliver savings as part of the agreed 2024-2025 budget.
Current proposals are to move from five directorates to four directorates. The proposal would bring together public health, housing and adult social care services into one directorate focussed on wellbeing.
Will Tuckley, Chief Executive said: “On behalf of the council and our city partners I want to thank Rob for his many years of dedicated service to this city, his leadership to the Health and Adult Social Care directorate and to its staff.
“Rob joined us on 1 January 2017 and led these services during the unprecedented global Covid-19 pandemic which was a particularly difficult period for the health and care sector.
“Not only did he give trusted and respected leadership during this immensely turbulent time, Rob also worked through another big change as the Integrated Care System – NHS Sussex – was established.
“Rob will be greatly missed by his colleagues in his directorate, across the council and the wider health and care sector and I wish him all the best for the future.”
In the interim, Steve Hook, Assistant Director – Operations for Health and Adult Social Care, will be the Director of Adult Social Services (DASS), a statutory role that is required by law. A report outlining the new organisational redesign will be going to a future Strategy, Finance and City Regeneration Committee and further details on the new structure will be published.
Rob Persey statement to staff
Dear colleagues,
I am writing to let you know that I have mutually agreed with the council that my last day of employment here will be this Thursday 29 February 2024.You will all be aware of the proposed organisational redesign creating a new directorate aligning Health and Adult Social Care with Housing and I have agreed with Will and the council leadership that the time is now right for me to pursue a new challenge elsewhere.
I arrived into the Executive Director post of the then newly formed Health and Adult Social Care (HASC) directorate in January 2017 and the past seven years have been the most professionally rewarding and enjoyable of my life. Thank you to every one of you for the support, professionalism and commitment you have shown to both the achievements of HASC and also to me personally.
Through some very difficult times and challenges never previously faced, the Covid 19 Pandemic being a case in point, I am immensely proud of you and what we together have achieved supporting some of the most vulnerable individuals and communities in this wonderful city.
Over recent years the HASC directorate has grown a deserved reputation for good financial management, high performance in meeting both our statutory responsibilities under the Care Act and promoting good public health across the city, working constructively with external partners, especially the NHS and key VCS stakeholders.
As a consequence, I believe we have supported embedding a culture of mutual respect and seen stronger relationships emerge across the city which I believe so fundamental to the health and wellbeing of all who live and work here.
How quickly we forget that Brighton & Hove was one of the first places in the country to be confronted with the tragic consequences of the Covid 19 pandemic which became such a defining moment in all our lives and influences now how we will proceed in the future. I was proud to be the Senior Responsible Officer through the pandemic and my thanks to key colleagues across the city for their commitment and resilience through this unique time.
My thanks to you all is heartfelt but, without mentioning individuals (you know who you are) I cannot say goodbye without a special thank you to my team across all areas of HASC; public health, adult social care and life events. I wish you all the very best that you deserve in the time ahead and none of what we have done together could have been achieved without you.
While I consider my next options, I continue to live in the city so as a local resident I want to forward all my best wishes for the road ahead and wish the incumbent Chief Executive, Jess Gibbons, every success as her journey here begins. I am confident that with the same level of support from you that I received there is every reason to look positively to the future.
Thank you,
Rob Persey
Executive Director Health and Adult Social Care