Priory has announced the appointment of two independent non-executive directors to its operating boards from 1 June. Dr Olu-Segun Olasode will join the adult care operating board and Heather Tierney-Moore, the healthcare operating board.

This is the first time since 2016 that Priory has had non-executive directors.

The company said that the new appointments are part of the Priory’s commitment to quality, operational consistency and becoming the “leading” European provider of mental health and rehabilitative services, as part of MEDIAN.

Dr Olasode brings over 32 years of executive leadership experience, alongside 25 years as non-executive director and chairman of audit and governance, within several healthcare, social care, housing, communities, and private sector organisations. These include: the Care Quality Commission, the Audit Commission, NHS trusts, and local and central government.

He is a chartered accountant, economist, and leadership consultant. He was one of the five government-appointed commissioners that led the development of the new regulatory model for social care and mental health services. In addition to his current executive role as group chief executive of TL First Consulting Group, Dr Olasode is a non-executive director and chair of integrated audit and governance with East Kent University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and independent chair of audit and governance with the London Borough of Croydon Council.

Tierney-Moore has had a long career working at trust, regional and national level across the NHS in England and Scotland. She now has a portfolio of non-executive and strategic advisory roles including interim chair for NHS supply chain. With 25 years of board experience and 10 years non-executive board experience, Tierney-Moore began her career as a nurse. She is national patron for the Positive Practice Mental Health Collaborative and has extensive experience in healthcare having been chief executive for Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust and director at NHS Lothian Board and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. Tierney-Moorehas held a number of non-executive positions including director at Community Integrated Care and NHS Confederation, and trustee for Black Stork/The DNRC Charity. She was honoured by the Queen in 2002 for services to healthcare.

Dr. André Schmidt, group chief executive at MEDIAN, added:“These two non-executive director appointments are really significant in bringing a greater degree of challenge and scrutiny to our work, alongside enormous expertise, to ensure we move forward and deliver on our commitment to become the leading European provider of high-quality mental health and rehabilitative services.”

Rebekah Cresswell, chief executive of Priory, said: “I am very much looking forward to welcoming Olu and Heather to such influential roles, which I see as a real milestone in Priory’s journey. I sought to embed this governance model into our organisation, as I believe both divisions of our business will benefit enormously from the challenge to our thinking that our new non-executive directors will bring – alongside their vast knowledge and experience of health and social care.”

Compass Executives’ director Luke Osborne advised on both appointments.