IHPN appoints Vicky McNally as Director of Regulation

The Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN) has appointed Vicky McNally as its new Director of Regulation, bringing almost three decades of senior leadership experience across regulation, governance, quality and risk in independent health and social care.

Vicky will join IHPN later this year, succeeding Dawn Hodgkins, who will be leaving the organisation in the autumn.

Vicky joins IHPN following a 29-year career at Cygnet Health Care, where she held senior executive and Board-level responsibilities as the organisation grew from five to 147 services across England, Scotland and Wales.

During her time at Cygnet, Vicky had responsibility for regulatory compliance, corporate governance, quality assurance, risk management and external engagement across a diverse portfolio of mental health, social care and specialist services. She developed and implemented Cygnet’s corporate governance framework, supporting improvements in regulatory performance across the organisation, and played a key role in major acquisition programmes worth more than £800 million. This included leading regulatory and governance integration to ensure newly acquired services met statutory requirements and were effectively incorporated into the organisation’s assurance systems.

Vicky also brings significant experience of working at a national level on issues affecting independent healthcare providers. She served a six-year term as an elected Independent Sector Representative on the NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network Board and has contributed to government-sponsored initiatives, national improvement programmes and cross-sector forums.

David Hare, Chief Executive of IHPN, said:
“Vicky brings an exceptional depth of experience and understanding of the regulatory environment in which independent healthcare providers operate. She has spent almost three decades working at the heart of a large and complex provider organisation and understands first-hand both the importance of robust regulation in supporting high-quality care and the practical challenges providers can face.

“Her knowledge of regulation, governance and quality, combined with her strong relationships across the sector, will be a real asset to IHPN and our members. I’m delighted that she will be joining us.

“I would also like to thank Dawn for the enormous contribution she has made to IHPN and the wider independent healthcare sector. She has been a highly respected and influential voice on regulation and quality, and we are incredibly grateful for everything she has done during her time with IHPN. She will be greatly missed by colleagues and members alike.”

Vicky McNally said:
“Over many years, I have seen IHPN bring clarity, credibility and balance to national policy discussions that matter for the independent sector. I am delighted to be joining an organisation that plays such a pivotal role in representing providers and supporting high-quality care across the system.

“I’m particularly looking forward to working with IHPN members, regulators and partners across the health and care system to help ensure that regulation supports high standards of care, while recognising the diversity and changing nature of independent healthcare provision.”

As Director of Regulation, Vicky will lead IHPN’s work on regulation, quality and patient safety, working closely with members and national regulators across the independent healthcare sector.