Permanent Education Chief a "significant step to stabilise department"

Thursday 15 December 2022

The former Managing Director of Health has been permanently appointed to lead the Children, Young People, Education and Skills Department.

Rob Sainsbury was recruited to the Chief Officer role in an acting capacity last October after Mark Rogers stepped down.

Mr Sainsbury was due to hold the temporary role for nine months before a permanent Director General for CYPES was recruited. Express has asked about the cause of the delay and is awaiting a response.

Confirming Mr Sainsbury's permanent appointment this morning, Children and Education Minister Deputy Inna Gardiner said: "experience that Rob brings to the role is a significant step in our journey to stabilise the department."

"Rob has an excellent reputation for bringing strategic and transformational change to services and I look forward to continuing to work together to ensure children and young person's voices, and their families, are at the centre of our services."

Chief Executive Suzanne Wylie said Mr Sainsbury's "skills, knowledge and strong leadership make him uniquely placed to continue to deliver the Minister's priorities and improve services for children, young people, and their families."

Mr Sainsbury added: "During the last 12 months I've seen first-hand just how professional and committed colleagues are and extraordinarily resilient, especially in these recent tough times. This dedication is extremely appreciated and is very much recognised, by not only myself, but Ministers and senior colleagues in Government.

"It's a real privilege to be able to continue to lead such a committed and hard-working department, who go the extra mile every day to support children, young people and families."

A former senior nurse and ward manager, Mr Sainsbury has worked in the NHS in both England and Wales since 1995 in roles both in provision and commissioning at clinical, managerial and Executive Director level.

He joined the Government in February 2018 to lead the hospital, the island’s mental health provision and improvement plan, social care and community commissioned services.

Note: The Government originally announced Rob Sainsbury as the new 'Director General' of the CYPES Department in a press release. It has since stated that his new title is 'Chief Officer'. This wording has been updated in the article.