James Devine is the Director for the acute care network at NHS Confederation.

James is an experienced senior executive, and between 2018 and 2021, was the Chief Executive at Medway NHS Foundation Trust. Prior to that, James was the Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of HR&OD at Medway, with responsibility for performance, operational management and improvement.

Over the past 25 years, James has worked in some of the most challenging and prestigious NHS organisations in the NHS in England, including South London Health Care, Barts Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. He was also the inaugural chair of the National HR network, bringing together the UK university teaching hospitals. James led the Medway HR team to regional CIPD success in 2018 winning the HR Team of the year award, and was also announced as the Healthcare People Management Association (HPMA) HR Director of the year in 2019.

During the last ten years, James has been a regular speaker in the UK and internationally on leadership, improvement and employee engagement. He has a passion for leadership development, and the evidence-based link between an engaged and valued workforce and better patient outcomes. James has had primary research published on diversity (recognised by the Global Equality Awards 2017), and is constantly seeking ways to improve the way care is delivered. James has previously been a Chartered Advisor with the Advisory Board, an international organisation that uses a combination of research, technology, and consulting to improve the performance of health care organisations and educational institutions. James has used this experience in both coaching and mentoring relationships, with HR professionals, and Board level executives.

Academically, he holds a Masters qualification, as well as having undertaken periods of study with the Open University in forensic psychology, finance, and strategy and performance. In 2015 James studied a short course in the field of psychology with the University of Cambridge, and in 2020 he undertook a period of study at the University of Oxford, completing the Executive Leadership programme. He has also held chartered membership status with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).