Meet the team

James Fitton

Modelling & Analytics

Job title: Partner

James’ emphasis is on service evaluation and modelling-based service strategy, grounded in evidence-based practice and sound business approaches. James leads our evaluation and redesign work, focussing primarily on mental health. Prior to joining Niche, with whom he has 18 years’ consultancy experience, both throughout England and beyond, James spent 14 years within the NHS, managing mental health and learning disability services in both rural and urban areas of the North West of England. James has also served as a Director of the National Institute for Mental Health in England, and has served as a Trustee of several local charities, and of a charitable company.

James has taken a particular interest in evidence-based practice, both for clinicians and for managers, with academic work supporting and enhancing the development of best practice.

Qualifications

MA (Oxon), MSc (Oxon), MBA, FRSA

James’ recent experience includes:

In his role as a management consultant and director of Mental Health Strategies, James has worked with health commissioners, social services, service users, Trusts, the Department of Health, NHS England, and the independent sector. James’s key skills and experience include:

• Capacity planning and simulation modelling of both inpatient and community mental health services, in a wide variety of services, from Cumbria to Dorset, and from large cities (Birmingham, Leeds, Bradford, Nottingham, South West London) to large rural areas, such as Norfolk, Suffolk, Derbyshire, Warwickshire and Leicestershire.
• Complex evaluations of services, including:

The “Connecting Care” approach to integrated health and social care in community hubs in Wakefield (three year programme)

Integration of workforce, service development and management systems across four mental health trusts.

An eleven-site collaborative approach to care planning in the Republic of Ireland

The national New Care Models initiative, including Community Forensic Services

The national Suicide Prevention programme

The introduction of specialist 18-25 mental health services, including appraisal of economic risks

• Reviews of IAPT services in a wide variety of locations.
• Facilitating workshops and planning days for local teams, including the development of performance frameworks, and clinical strategies.