TRIBUTES are being paid to former interim managing director of the Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group, Martin Wakeley, who has recently died.

Said to have had a 'positive impact' on all those he worked with, Mr Wakeley worked for the CCG between 2018 and 2019 and stayed working on the Island as a member of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust executive team.

He was also an active member of the local care board, now known as the Integrated Care Partnership.

It is believed Mr Wakeley, who was in his early 50s, died of cancer.

On a JustGiving page, set up by Mr Wakeley's family, Tom, his stepson, said they were asking for donations to Cancer Research, in honour of their 'amazing dad, grandad and husband', especially for the forms of the disease that is 'not well recognised and need more focus', like gastrointestinal stromal tumours.

He said: "We have seen Martin spend his whole career striving to improve people's health and we want to continue that through this page. He was an incredible role model."

Paying tribute to their colleague, Alison Smith, managing director of the Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group, and Maggie Oldham, chief executive of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust released a joint statement.

They said: "For those of us who had the pleasure of working with Martin, it was always easy to see just how enthusiastic, passionate and committed he was to improving health outcomes.

"We are fortunate to have had Martin as part of the Island team as he had such a positive impact on those working with him.

"He was able to draw on his vast experience from a career in the NHS that spanned working as a scientist in pathology through to working his way up to becoming chief executive of Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust.

"Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Martin’s wife, Heather, their family, and his many friends at what must be a very difficult time for them all."

You can donate to his family's JustGiving page here: justgiving.com/fundraising/tom-newman11