Anna Neilson-Williams has been named the new chief of psychiatry for the Bermuda Hospitals Board after almost a year acting in the post.

Dr Neilson-Williams, who has served as the acting chief of psychiatry since last September, will officially take on the title on August 15.

Wesley Miller, the BHB chief of staff, said he was pleased to appoint Dr Neilson-Williams to the “critical position”.

Dr Miller said: “She has a deep understanding of the needs of mental health, substance use and intellectual disability services in Bermuda and helped lead the MWI Directorate Plan 2021-2026, which is guiding the development of services.

“As the project lead for the establishment of the Integrated Healthcare Clinic, Dr Neilson-Williams also is part of the evolution of services within BHB that is seeing better coordination and collaboration across sites and within the community.

“It is an exciting time to be in this vital role and Dr Neilson-Williams is the ideal person to help lead us through this time of change."

Dr Neilson-Williams joined the BHB in 2000 as a resident psychiatrist and went on to work with the Family Practice Group as a general practitioner between 2003 and 2009.

She also served as the physician lead for the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute’s Outpatient Clinic and the Continuing Care Unit at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Dr Neilson-Williams was previously the deputy chief of psychiatry, and from 2014 has been the director of BHB’s Continuing Medical Education programme.

As the chief of psychiatry, her role will be to provide clinical direction and administrative leadership for mental health, substance use and intellectual disability services, and will be accountable for the quality of care delivered.