Bill Mumford appointed Programme Director for the Winterbourne View Joint Improvement Programme

TLAP congratulates Bill Mumford, chief executive of Macintyre and chair of TLAP's National Market Development Forum on his appointment as Programme Director for the Winterbourne View Joint Improvement Programme (JIP).

The role is funded by the Department of Health and he will be seconded with immediate effect into the Local Government Association where he will report directly to the LGA and NHS England.

New programme director, Bill Mumford said:

"I am delighted to be asked to oversee the Winterbourne View Joint Improvement Programme: everybody should have hope for a good future and that must include people with learning disabilities who find themselves confined inappropriately in assessment and treatment units. All of us in the sector need to work with more urgency and focus to provide proper local support to the individuals and their families. As CEO of the charity MacIntyre I have longstanding experience of the complexities that create barriers to best practice but also have direct experience of how to create better futures for people and their families. Our common endeavour must be to quickly restore confidence that this will be the norm everywhere."

Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb said:

"The Joint Improvement Programme has a crucial role to play in transforming care for people with learning disabilities and or autism and challenging behaviour or mental ill health and making sure those who are able to can live in their own community with support by June 2014. We know that some progress has been made - but I am impatient to see real cultural change. There is still a long way to go. Bill Mumford will provide strong leadership at a critical time to drive this work forward and I welcome his appointment."

As chair of TLAP's National Market Development Forum, Bill has overseen work on a number of important resources developed with our partners, including:

• Stronger Partnerships for Better Outcomes: a protocol for market relations
• Driving up Quality of Adult Social Care
• Be Bold: Developing the Market for small numbers of people with very complex needs
• Commissioning the Future: starting a new conversation

Bill's appointment involved an interview panel which included representatives from DH, LGA, NHS England and family carers and self advocates.