Williams (right) said she was very pleased to be appointed and to be working with CRDB chair, Harry Cayton, for whom she said she had the highest regard. Asked for her personal view of IT’s role in the relationship between health and social care she said: “I would not like technology to replace working relationships between those who work in social care, who work in the NHS and the patient. What we know is that, if used properly, technology can support our working lives in a very positive way." She said that the Bichard Report, published earlier this year, had criticised the information sharing systems of agencies that came into contact with Soham murderer, Ian Huntley, but there were positive examples to draw on. “We’ve got to look at the best and see what adds value. How do we make something simple and effective to use that is affordable and does not seduce us into thinking it will work on its own?" she said. Williams inherits a difficult history of engagement between the social care world and the national programme. Earlier this year, E-Health Insider reported that the Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS) had protested to NHS chief executive, Sir Nigel Crisp, that there is no structure for engaging social care services in the National Programme for IT (NPfIT). “If that’s a criticism, I need to reflect on that and think about how we address it," said Williams, who is a past president of ADSS. Her current job has made Williams particularly conscious of the discrimination faced by people with learning disabilities in accessing healthcare. “If I can make sure their interests are not lost, I hope others will also benefit," she said. The ADSS commented: "The appointment of Jo Williams to the third and vacant deputy chair’s position in the CRDB has been warmly welcomed by social care representatives. Jo Williams will have a lead role in ensuring that social care’s experience and knowledge is represented within the board… She is greatly respected by her colleagues in social care. “We are also pleased that someone with experience of learning disability services will have a strong voice within the CRDB as this is a group which has too often been overlooked within NHS planning. Harry Cayton consulted with ADSS about a suitable person to fill the vacant role of deputy chair and we are delighted that he was able to persuade someone of Jo’s talent and experience to join him managing this important initiative."
Jo Williams, chief executive of Mencap, the UK’s leading learning disability charity, has joined the National Programme for IT’s Care Record Development Board (CRDB) as its social care deputy chair.
Williams’ appointment completes the line-up of three deputies. The others come from healthcare backgrounds; Professor Sir Cyril Chantler, a distinguished paediatrician, and Talib Yaseen, director of nursing for North Cumbria Acute Hospitals.
Williams’ career spans over 30 years in social services in Shropshire, Cheshire and Wigan and she was president of the ADSS from 1999-2000. She took over as chief executive of Mencap in April 2003. She is also co-chair of a group concerned with providing standards for children in hospital under the auspices of the National Service Framework for Children.