Yolanda Dennehy will become Director of Adult Social Care and Health at the London Borough of Bexley on 1 April 2024.

Yolanda is the Council’s current Deputy Director of Adult Social Care. She will take over from Stuart Rowbotham when he retires.

Yolanda has been at the London Borough of Bexley since 2016, when she joined as Head of Complex Care. She lives in the Borough and qualified as a social worker in 2002. She has worked in a range of health and care services, including direct care prior to becoming a social worker, and as a social worker in urgent response teams, hospital discharge teams, community teams and safeguarding adults.

She said, ‘I am delighted to be appointed to the Director of Adult Social Care and Health post and I am really looking forward to continuing to work with colleagues and residents in my new role, to further improve people’s experience of adult social care support.’

Stuart currently holds the combined role of Director for Adult Social Care and Health in the Council, and Place Executive Lead in South East London Integrated Care Board (ICB). The combined nature of the post has helped integration of commissioning and delivery, and close partnership working.

However, with the many and growing challenges faced by Health and Adult Social Care leadership, including changing demographics in the borough and budget pressures, the Council and ICB decided to split the roles. The two roles will have dual reporting lines into the Council and the ICB.

Recruitment to the role of Place Executive Lead is underway and the new appointment will be announced shortly.

(Updated 11 March - Diana Braithwaite has been appointed as the Place Executive Lead and the appointment letter (PDF) went out to Partners from Paul Thorogood and Andrew Bland.

Councillor Melvin Seymour, Cabinet Member for Adults’ Services & Health, said of Yolanda's appointment:

Yolanda brings a wealth of experience and a passion for her work. She demonstrates a very strong commitment to Bexley residents, and to delivering high quality services to those who need us. I very much look forward to working with her in her new role."

Andrew Bland, Chief Executive Officer of NHS South East London Integrated Care Board said:

I am delighted that Yolanda has been appointed as Director of Adult Social Care and Health for the London Borough of Bexley. Yolanda has worked tirelessly in her current role as Deputy Director of Adult Social Care and Health, to ensure that residents have access to the right support services when they need them. Yolanda is passionate about improving the experience of residents when they access our services and is a respected and valued member of our local health and care system team. We are looking forward to continuing to work with Yolanda in her new role.”