New TSA Chief Executive appointed shortly before their conference begins (UK)

The TSA has provided us with the following announcement this morning:

“TSA GEARS UP FOR EVOLVING SECTOR WITH NEW LEADERSHIP

Telecare Services Association is excited to announce that Alyson Bell will be taking over leadership of the industry body, as part of radical changes to lead, represent and promote the evolving sector.

After 4 and a half years of leading TSA, its current Chief Executive Trevor Single, will be leaving to pursue other opportunities. Trevor commented: “The organisationhas developed significantly in the last 4 years and plans to grow even further. I feel the time is right for me to move on and for the team to build on this success. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved and wish everyone all the best.”

The TSA itself added: “The TSA board and staff team would like to thank Trevor for all his work in helping to develop the TSA into the organisation that it is today, and wish him well with his future plans.”

TSA’s plans include a solid commitment to lead, represent and promote Technology Enabled Care & Support (TECS) at the highest levels and sharply-focused values including a rallying call to be bold, brave and accountable.  The impending arrival of new Chair Andrew Gardner, who has top-level experience in technology, NHS primary care and TECS, is also a signal of gathering momentum.

With the TECS industry growing within an evolving sector, TSA’s new leadership is changing gears and will be structured to make the most of the opportunities within an evolving health, housing and social care sector: the team is confident the influx of new expertise will maximise the benefits to members and provide a solid base for lobbying.

Alyson said: “Companies like Apple are showing the world how innovation and desirability are driving new economies.  Our industry has the skills and knowledge to do the same… and we must, if we want to be part of the health and care economy of the future.

“I’m so excited to be leading the charge with Andrew and the rest of the TSA team.  All of the pieces are coming together – the people, the strategic thinking and planning, the partnerships and the member engagement – and the health, housing and social care sector needs TECS more than ever.  It’s up to us all to make TECS happen.”

Alyson will continue to lead TSA in an amalgamated leadership role with immediate effect, while Andrew’s debut as Chair will be at this year’s International Telecare & Telehealth Conference at Celtic Manor on 17^th & 18^th November.  The theme will be 21^st Century Solutions for 21^st Century Care – TSA invites you to engage with them there and see what this means for you, with new forms of support for members becoming available.”

A significant number of readers will be aware of the rumours swirling around the TSA for some time now. This announcement will therefore be welcomed by many as an opportunity for the TSA to put the past behind it and make the changes that many, including this editor, have been calling for, to enable the TSA to play a valuable role in helping make the case for the use of technology in health & social care to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs. Alyson (disclosure: who is also a Director of DHACA, which this editor is Managing Director of), now has an opportunity to put into practice her many novel ideas for how the sector can benefit an ageing society most at a time of substantial budget cutbacks.