Des Kelly to retire as leader of the National Care Forum

Des Kelly, who has been executive director of the National Care Forum since 2003, has announced he is to retire next year.

Mr Kelly has been executive director of National Care Forum (NCF) since the organisation launched in 2003, as a professional association representing not-for-profit care providers in the UK.

By the time he retires he will have worked for 45 years in social care including 28 years at national policy level.

Des Kelly said: “I have felt greatly privileged to play a part in the development of the National Care Forum through which I have had the good fortune to work with many people really committed to improving the quality of care services. The ethos we have created has, I believe, helped to establish an organisation with a reputation in support of intelligent regulation, professional standards, innovation and leadership.

“Given the current concerns about sustainability for the social care sector, the need for an authoritative provider representative voice has never been stronger. NCF will continue to support and represent its members and maintain our influence across the care sector.

“This is clearly a particularly challenging time for care services and I intend to continue promoting the benefits of the not-for-profit model of care provision.”

Chairman of the NCF, David Coull, paid tribute to Des Kelly, saying: “On behalf of the NCF Board and all of our almost 100 members I would like to formally record our deepest appreciation of the leadership Des has bought to his role as our founder executive director.

“Des, honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2007, is universally respected within the sector and has long since been seen as the ‘calm voice of reason’. This is why, with Des’ wider leadership, the NCF is recognised as a grounded and respected membership organisation.

“We, and the sector, will miss him greatly. We will ensure that there are opportunities to celebrate Des’ massive contribution to the NCF, in the meantime, and somewhat typically, Des has made it clear that it will be ‘business as usual’.”

Davina Ludlow, director of carehome.co.uk, leading guide to care homes, also praised Mr Kelly for the impact he has had on the care sector, saying: “We are sorry to be losing such a well-liked and respected member of the care sector, who has contributed so much to the industry throughout his career.”

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England similarly commended him and said: “Des has made an outstanding contribution to social care as a practitioner, manager and sector leader. He has represented the sector with integrity and passion and will be greatly missed by us all”.

The process to recruit a successor has begun with sufficient time to ensure that the new executive director has an appropriate handover. The board has appointed a recruitment panel to oversee the selection process. The interviews will be held in January 2016.

Des Kelly will continue as executive director until a successor has been appointed.