Care and support charity Community Integrated Care has appointed Jemima Burnage as chief quality and risk officer, effective from the end of January next year, succeeding Carolyn McConnell who is retiring after five years at the charity.    

Burnage has more than two decades’ experience working within quality, governance and safeguarding and was previously deputy director of mental health in England at the Care Quality Commission. Before that, she worked closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and in roles at Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, where she developed experience across a wide range of service types and provision. 

Community Integrated Care’s chief executive Jim Kane said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Carolyn for everything she’s achieved since joining Community Integrated Care. Social care is an increasingly complex operating environment and during her tenure, Carolyn has established robust frameworks to ensure that as a charity, we are well-run and well-governed, whilst still able to deliver innovative, flexible and transformative support that truly changes people’s lives.”

“We’re thrilled with Jemima’s appointment and look forward to the breadth and depth of expertise she will bring to the role. Jemima’s passion, values and drive to make a positive difference shine through and we’re very much looking forward to having her join us in the New Year.”

Burnage commented: “Throughout the past nine years at the Care Quality Commission, I’ve witnessed the incredible impact that good regulation can have within social care, improving the lives of people supported, their families, and those that work in the sector. I’m now looking forward to a new challenge, where I can combine my passion for continuously improving the quality of services, with my experience of working with front line teams to deliver the very best outcomes.”

“I’m delighted to be joining such a vibrant, values-led organisation, with a vision aligned so closely to my own – enabling people with care needs to lead independent, happy and fulfilled lives. So much great work has already been achieved by the charity’s quality team, including amplifying the voice of people supported, and I’m looking forward to building on this momentum and playing my part in truly enabling people to live their best lives possible.”