Helen Kelly
Chief nursing officer, NHS Birmingham and Solihull
Helen Kelly qualified as an adult nurse in 1996 at the University of Birmingham, training at the Queen Elizabeth School of Nursing. Early in her career, she gained extensive clinical experience across Birmingham hospitals, including thoracic high dependency care at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital and gynaecology at Birmingham Women’s Hospital.
After completing a degree in Health Promotion, Helen qualified as a health visitor, working in Chelmsley Wood and Damson Wood, and later achieved an MSc in Advanced Practice in 2005. She then joined Solihull Care Trust, where she became Maternity and Children’s Commissioning Lead, overseeing the commissioning of health services for children and young people.
In 2013, Helen joined NHS England as Head of Public Health for Birmingham, Solihull, and the Black Country, leading the development of NHS commissioning arrangements for public health services with an £85 million budget. Following the establishment of Clinical Commissioning Groups, she became Director of Solihull Together for Solihull CCG, driving integrated health and social care for a population of 210,000.
When Birmingham and Solihull CCG was formed, Helen was appointed Associate Director of Integration (Urgent Care/Community), leading a team of 21 to strengthen joined-up care. After national restructuring, she became Director of Nursing for Quality Improvement at NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (ICB), leading quality and equity initiatives across nursing services.
In 2024, Helen was appointed Chief Nurse at NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB.