Dr Conor Kenny
Conor is a medical doctor and physiotherapist nearing completion of his GP training in East London. His interest centres on global health and healthcare improvement.
Throughout his training Conor has undertaken numerous deployments with Medecins Sans Frontieres, most recently returning from north west Iraq in late 2019. His roles have revolved around clinical work, teaching, improvement, innovation and leadership. This work has also been in parallel to his role as a specialist advisor with the CQC where he developed an understanding of organisational culture on patient outcomes.
His experiences in both these contexts has allowed Conor to witnesse the value of a diverse multidisciplinary workforce reflective of the population they serve in the improvement process. In particular he recognises the importance of open and transparent leadership that facilitates a just culture for staff and patients. He has seen how such ‘growth culture’ philosophy can create meaningful collective learning and facilitate real healthcare improvement.
Conor also recognises the fundamental role of healthcare professionals advocating for their most vulnerable patients. He has spoken on committees in parliament and United Nations Human Rights Council on the adverse health impacts of migration policy. He feels particularly strong on the need for health system structure to continually evolve and reflect socio-economic factors towards patient access. He feels this will become particularly poignant in the post Covid landscape.
When not working, Conor enjoys writing, he continues to play football and rugby with his local club. He also partakes in triathlons and running marathons abroad.
Conor looks forward to working in the clinical policy unit of NHS England and NHS Improvement where he hopes to gain an understanding of how healthcare policy is generated and implemented. He aims to develop further his understanding of healthcare culture on leadership decisions, staff performance and ultimately patient outcomes. Conor is also interested in learning from the approach senior leaders take to overcoming healthcare challenges made all the more acute in the context of the covid 19 pandemic.
