International Examples of Lean in Healthcare

Elaine Mead is an Executive Director of Improvement, Care and Compassion, IC&C, an organisation committed to supporting leaders on their improvement journey across the UK and Europe. She has worked as Executive Sensei for NHS Improvement in England and is a Leadership Faculty member of the Institute of Health Improvement. Elaine is a founding member of the Catalysis European CEO Forum and continues to connect and support colleagues from across Europe, from her base in Scotland. She is a certified Lean Leader from Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust having had a close association with the Virginia Mason Institute. Elaine is also a Fellow of, and tutor for the Institute of Quality and Safety (ISQua). Prior to establishing IC&C Elaine was chief executive for NHS Highland for eight years where she led the development of the Highland Quality Approach to improve the quality of care based on increasing value. She has over 30 years of experience of working in the NHS including as a clinician and in executive roles.

Dr Cameron Stark, Honorary Reader, and Lecturer, UHI Outer Hebrides, University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). Cameron was a doctor in the British National Health Service for over thirty years and now provides consultancy on the application of Quality Improvement methods in health and social care. He is a module leader for the University of the Highlands and Islands Post Graduate Certificate on Healthcare Quality Improvement. Cameron has written or edited six textbooks and has published over 60 papers in peer-reviewed journals.

Maimie Thompson is an engagement and communication specialist currently working in healthcare planning and the use of digital technologies in the public sector. She has contributed to a range of publications including as a co-author on a chapter for the International Handbook on Integrated Care (2nd edition) about Scotland. Maimie is a certified lean leader and a former recipient of NHS Scotland's manager of the year award for her work on unscheduled care.