Tripp appointed AMII chairman

Andrew Tripp has been confirmed as the new Association of Medical Insurance Intermediaries (AMII) chairman.

Tripp's appointment was confirmed today at AMII's Annual General Meeting.

Speaking after his appointment, Tripp said he believes the association has some very exciting and challenging times ahead as it continues to evolve.

"In particular, we have to bed in the new health insurance examination alongside the CII and ensure our relationships with the insurers, other trade associations and interested parties in the health related insurance sector, continue to progress for the benefit of private medical insurance, our members and their clients," he says.

"It also has to a role to play as part of the private health sector as the NHS enters even greater challenging times, which are bound to arise following the general election and future pressures on the public purse.

"Clean hospitals, minimising killer infections and access to modern drugs, especially cancer ones, are a few issues that come straight to mind," he added.

Tripp has been a member of the AMII executive committee since March 2007, most recently serving as treasurer, and is currently chief executive of Perfect Health.

He succeeds Mike Izzard who has been chairman for the last two years.

Izzard is stepping down from the executive committee having been a member since March 2006, including serving as secretary and treasurer.

The association also made several other changes to its executive committee as representatives stood down after serving their terms.

Debbie Kleiner Gaines from Best Health UK has become treasurer, Paula Aitken from The Private Health Partnership has taken on the joint role of secretary/membership secretary, and Mike Wagg from Simplyhealth is now the insurer representative, while Lindsey Joseph from LEBC Corporate Healthcare Solutions and Hazel Gregory from Medical Insurance Services also join the committee.

They replace Wendy Maxwell from Premier Choice Healthcare (previously secretary), Claire Ginnelly from Groupama Healthcare (insurer representative), and Wayne Pontin from Jelf Wellbeing (committee member).