James Fitton
MS (Oxon), MSc (Oxon), MBA, MHSM, DipHSM
Before joining Mental Health Strategies (MHS) in 2000, James spent 14 years in the NHS, managing mental health and learning disability services in both urban and rural areas of the North of England.
James is now a Director of MHS, and leads on service organisation and service strategy issues. He has led many local service reviews and service change projects. At a national level he worked with the NHS Foundation Trust unit on the development of mental health NHS Foundation Trusts, and the first model contract for mental health services; he also developed and managed the annual self-assessment of progress in implementation of the national service framework for mental health; and has served as a national director of the National Institute for Mental Health in England
Current projects include developing approaches to commissioning with several PCTs, including contracting, service strategies, needs assessments, and service reviews. James' emphasis is always on the pragmatic application of evidence-based practice.
Outside work and family, James is a regular with a gigging ceilidh band, his local Quaker meeting, and watching Oldham Athletic.
