Health Board pays tribute to Chief Executive

Chair of the Health and Social Care Board Dr Ian Clements said the award was a fitting tribute to nearly 40 years of dedicated service to Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland.

Dr Clements said: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to warmly congratulate John on this well-deserved honour. I am sure many colleagues throughout the Health and Social Care service would join me in acknowledging the huge contribution John has made and continues to make.

“During his career to date, John has been at the forefront of shaping health and social care, in driving forward change and making a difference in people’s lives.

“Most recently, he was the driving force behind the Transforming Your Care (TYC) Review which is one of the most significant reforms of Health and Social Care in decades, aimed at ensuring Northern Ireland has safe, high quality, patient and client centred health and social care into the future.”

Speaking after the announcement had been made, Mr Compton said that he felt honoured and humbled to be awarded the CBE.

“Throughout my career I have done my best to try and ensure that people can receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place,” said Mr Compton. “I have had the privilege of working with many dedicated professionals throughout this time who have made an outstanding contribution to changing Health and Social Care for the better.”

The Lisburn man took up his current post as Chief Executive of the Health and Social Care Board when it was formed in 2009. The Board arranges or ‘commissions’ health and social care services for the entire population of Northern Ireland and accounts for £3.9 billion of expenditure every year.

He qualified in social work in 1976 after graduating from Queen’s University and worked in a number of posts across Lisburn and Belfast. It was during this time that Mr Compton co-ordinated the social work response for Northern Ireland during the Kegworth air disaster in 1989.

He held a series of social care posts within the former Eastern Health and Social Service Board before his appointment to senior executive management roles with the former Down Lisburn Health and Social Services Trust. He has a long association with the Downpatrick area working in Down Lisburn from 1990 – 2006, and saw through many changes to healthcare in Downpatrick during that time.

Changes to the Health and Social services under the Review of Public Administration saw Mr Compton take the helm as chief executive of the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust in 2006, a post he held until 2009.

Outside of his leading roles within the health and social services, Mr Compton, is the proud father to three grown up daughters and has 5 grandchildren. He is also a keen sportsman. He has played and refereed rugby at a senior level, and has completed numerous long distance running events and marathons