The Commandery of St John in the Bailiwick of Guernsey is pleased to announce the appointment of Heather as Group Chief Executive Officer for St John Ambulance and Rescue Service and the St John Guernsey charity.
Heather has spent the last four years as Chief Executive Officer of the St John Guernsey charity, a role responsible for the development and execution of short and long-term strategy, financial sustainability, and overall management of operational service lines.
In her new role, she will take overall responsibility for executive leadership, long-term strategy and external affairs for both the ambulance service and the charity.
Heather said: “I am privileged to take on this role at such an important time for St John in Guernsey. Bringing the two parts of the organisation together is an opportunity to sharpen our strategic focus and align our priorities. I am delighted to be working with John and Aimee who have vast experience in previous roles within the ambulance service.”
Heather will be supported by John Atkins, who has been appointed Chief Ambulance Officer. He will be responsible for the operational delivery of the emergency ambulance service, marine ambulance, and patient transfer service.
John previously held the role of Head of Resilience and Education, overseeing emergency preparedness, resilience and response arrangements, as well as training and education across the service.
John Atkins said: “It is an honour to be appointed as Chief Ambulance Officer at a time of renewed leadership in the organisation and as we prepare to celebrate 90 years of serving the islands. I’m looking forward to working alongside Heather as our new Group CEO to ensure we continue to develop our role as a vital pre-hospital healthcare provider in the islands, as part of a future sustainable model of care.”
Aimee Lihou has been appointed Chief Operating Officer, with responsibility for the organisation’s day-to-day operational and business functions.
The appointments follow the resignation of former Chief Executive Officer Mark Mapp, who announced in December last year that he would step down after seven years leading the organisation.
Marc Farror, Knight Commander for Guernsey said: “I am delighted that Heather has taken on the role of Group Chief Executive Officer. Having responsibility for both parts of the St John organisation in Guernsey creates a more effective and strategic structure. Redefining the senior roles allows us to consolidate functions and ensures we continue to deliver the professional standards our community has come to expect as part of a sustainable model of care, which ultimately means the best care for our patients. As a charity it is vital that we continually look to our efficiencies and ensure we get best value for money. Heather will be supported in her role by John Atkins who will take on the statutory responsibilities of Chief Ambulance Officer, and by Aimee Lihou who becomes Chief Operating Officer. We are extremely fortunate to have such great people leading the organisation. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mark Mapp for his leadership, positivity and strategic vision over the past seven years”.
St John Ambulance and Rescue Service provides the statutory emergency ambulance service for Guernsey and Alderney, as well as non-emergency patient transfers, the marine ambulance service, and major incident response capability.
