Libby Ryan-Davies has been appointed acting chief executive officer (CEO) and accountable officer (AO) at NHS Devon integrated care board (ICB).
The role is temporary until the appointment of a new cluster CEO for NHS Devon and NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly.
Recruitment for the cluster CEO is underway with an expected start date of 1 April.
Ms Ryan-Davies began her new roles at the start of February, having joined NHS Devon in August 2024 as transformation director.
She has been deputy CEO since April 2025.
John Govett, chair of NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly and NHS Devon, announced the news yesterday in a letter addressed to colleagues, partners and stakeholders.
Mr Govett said: ‘During her time in Devon, Libby has led on a number of high-profile projects, including leading NHS Devon’s Health and Care Strategy, which set out a bold and necessary transformation to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the local health and care system.’
He said that Ms Ryan-Davies would work closely with NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly’s acting CEO and AO, Susan Bracefield.
Both Ms Ryan-Davies and Ms Bracefield will continue in the roles until either the interim/substantive cluster CEO begins, or the new executive team for the cluster ‘formally rolls out’.
It was announced last month that the previous NHS Devon chief executive, Steve Moore, would step down at the end of January.
In September 2025, NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly and NHS Devon ICBs established joint working arrangements with a formal merger expected to take place in April 2027.
