Chief Executive to leave EMAS

After nearly two years in his role as Chief Executive of the East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Phil Milligan is leaving the organisation. Director of Finance and Performance, Jon Sargeant will take his place in the interim until a successor is appointed.

Jon Towler, Chairman of the EMAS Board said: “Phil led the organisation through a time of significant change. He leaves EMAS in a considerably better shape and with a clear plan for the future. The whole board extends its thanks for the improvements made and wishes him well for the future.”

Mr Milligan’s departure follows an NHS career which spanned more than 30 years. He first joined the service in 1981 as a nurse in the Midlands before going on to take senior roles in both the NHS acute and private healthcare sectors. As EMAS Chief Executive, Mr Milligan established the ‘Being the Best’ plan to improve the service for patients in the region.

Mr Milligan said: “I joined EMAS to make a difference. With the plans in place and progress made I am proud to leave EMAS in a much stronger position. I am looking forwards to spending more time with my family; the role of Chief Executive has been very demanding and has required very long hours to
make the progress necessary. It is time for me to take a back seat for a while and to leave the driving to someone else! Clinical care and overall response times are the best they have been for some time thanks to the ‘Being the Best’ programme. I’d like to thank my colleagues at EMAS for their support and hard work in continuing to deliver this important change programme.”

Chief Executive of Erewash Clinical Commissioning Group, Rakesh Marwaha said: “It’s thanks to Phil that the ‘Being the Best’ programme came about. It is necessary in order to transform EMAS into an organisation that can give the most effective service to patients in the East Midlands.”