Heartbeat: Hello my name is… Liam Kennedy

April 27, 2020

This month we say hello to Liam Kennedy. As you’ll likely know, Liam isn’t new to our Trust; however, he has recently moved from being our deputy chief operating officer to become our chief operating officer (COO).

Having started his career as a science teacher, Liam joined the NHS nine years ago as part of the NHS graduate management training scheme. Reflecting on his decision to join this scheme, Liam remarked, “This was a defining career moment for me. I developed the skills to help me lead different functions and teams across several trusts. I have worked in project management, accounting and transformation positions, as well as a group manager in medicine, surgery and community services.”

Liam completed a six-month placement with Monitor; a regulatory body that was responsible for ensuring healthcare provision in NHS England was financially effective. As well as this, he has completed a management accounting qualification via the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and a PgCert in healthcare leadership and management.

You may be surprised to learn that Liam has not always worked in healthcare. Before joining the NHS, Liam had a varied career. Aside from being a teacher, he also worked as a celebrity account manager and revealed that Peter Andre was the most famous person he ever booked for an event.

Looking to the future as our COO, Liam has some key areas of interest he’ll be focusing on. “Digital implementation into the NHS is a passion of mine. So far, I’ve worked across the Unity project and introduced digital dictation. I’ll be working closely with teams to ensure we’re giving our clinical colleagues the tools they need to deliver the best patient care. Digital transformation will help us offer a more efficient and patient focused service.

“I’ll be looking at improving our urgent care standards and working with all directorates to ensure they have the data, skills and resources to deliver service improvements. As well as this, I’m keen to look at preventative measures to ensure we’re having early interactions with patients. We have lots of resources available to help them lead healthier lives.”

Outside of work Liam enjoys keeping fit. This year he had planned an Ironman triathlon in Copenhagen that involves swimming, running and doing a bike ride all in support of Your Trust Charity. Excited about taking on the challenge, he said, “It’s going to be a test of endurance. I’ve started my training and go swimming before work. I’m looking forward to doing something that will directly give back to our Trust.”