Meet our governors

As a founding chair of two humanitarian charities, previously in Albania and currently in Myanmar, I must keep up to speed with a wide range of information on many issues while staying focused on the priorities of each charity. I believe this is a vital part of navigating the governor role here at WSFT and all the complexities of effectively managing a busy local hospital.

For 10 years I served at West Suffolk Hospital as a chaplaincy volunteer and for seven years on the Local Research Ethics Committee. Through both these roles I gained useful insights into patient perspectives and always consider this when carrying out our work. 

I spent nearly 30 years working as a manager for the Suffolk Library Service during which time I obtained a BA and a DMS (Diploma in Management Studies). In my last post with the service, I was responsible for a group of libraries including a mobile and prison library. I therefore have a wide range of experience in management within a public sector environment. Equally, working in my community as a Parish Councillor, Justice of the Peace and Trustee of a local charity, has enabled me to understand the needs of those living, in what is largely, a rural community.

In my last job I worked for the NHS obtaining a post graduate qualification in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. I ran my own surgery and for 10 years treated more than 700 patients mainly for anxiety and depression. Consequently, I am experienced in understanding the concerns of patients and hopefully how best to alleviate them.

I am incredibly passionate about supporting the Trust to become a local centre of healthcare excellence.

I have acted as lead community stroke prevention ambassador and raised funds for the Trust’s orthopaedics department through the Trust’s MyWish Charity.

I have skills in finance, management, communication, and engagement, in both business and local community roles, including being Chair of Ixworth Parish Council.

I have lived in Bury St Edmunds for over 50 years, and I know the area very well. I have spent my working life in industry and bring various skills I have acquired to the Council of Governors.

A volunteer at the hospital for the last six years, I feel I can contribute knowledge gained from working on the wards.

My personal involvement actively supporting family members through the complexities of health and social care over many years, together with my work and volunteering activities in the public sector, have given me a good understanding of how large multi-layered organisations delivering public services, operate.

Over the years, I have developed good listening and observational skills, along with being confident to speak up on behalf of others when necessary. These experiences and skills enable me to fulfil my role as a public governor, representing the local community using the services of the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.

I am very committed to providing a good health service for our communities. I have experienced first-hand the services provided by the Trust after being diagnosed with cancer. In addition, my time as the Mayor of Sudbury (on two occasions) and the last 16 years spent as both a Town Councillor and a District Councillor for Sudbury, show I value and understand the importance of supporting public participation on a variety of issues.

I retired as an electrical/mechanical contract engineer several years ago. 

I am committed to the NHS and serving our local community. My career has involved working on a variety of industry and university research projects in the physical and chemical sciences, and leadership and governance roles in the education and health sectors. This includes experience as a trustee for a disability charity, and more recently in my role as a member of the professional standards board of the Royal Society of Chemistry. 

I recognise the importance of achieving the highest professional standards in our work, and of the role of the Council of Governors as a collective body, that supports and advises the executive and non-executive directors of the Trust.

I first worked for the NHS in 1971 when I commenced nurse training at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge. I worked as a critical care nurse for around 30 years, in various hospitals. Before I retired, I was a critical care service matron. Missing nursing, I returned to work, part time, as a critical care nurse at the West Suffolk Hospital for [x] years.

During the pandemic, I was invited to re-register and worked as a volunteer nurse vaccinator at a local GP practice.

I feel passionately that the care the NHS provides must be of excellent quality. Governors represent their communities and being a Trust governor provides an opportunity to continue to advocate for patients. It is an advantage that I understand the NHS and all its associated terminology.

I became a public governor following my retirement as a headteacher. I was a teacher for 19 years and then a headteacher for 21 years.

Being a headteacher has given me experience in reading reports; attending and chairing meetings; and managing staff and pupils. I also worked with different agencies, for example, social services and GPs, many of which also work closely with the NHS.

My interest in this role is important to me following my time as a patient at West Suffolk Hospital since I was 17. I find my involvement in all areas of the Trust fulfilling and I hope I offer the challenge and support needed.  

I have an extensive range of management experience at a senior level in private businesses, in addition to my finance background. This includes strategy development; risk analysis; people development; project management and team building – all requiring effective communication with all levels of internal and external audiences.

I believe my experience supports me to appreciate and understand the issues facing the Trust and to offer input from the community’s perspective into the direction and priorities of the organisation.

I am approachable and friendly, enthusiastic about change, and committed to robustly representing staff views.

I have experience in complex negotiations to implement process change at multiple levels and with a background in global commercial risk, I am competent in objectively reviewing and challenging information and decisions. 

I have over 20 years’ experience working for the Trust through both clinical and digital careers. I currently lead the community digital programme and can represent the views of our staff who work outside the main hospital site, ensuring that we are working as a Trust, not just a hospital.

I also strongly value the opinions and thoughts of our corporate colleagues, who are often underrepresented within staff governors. I am keen that all voices are heard across the Trust and want to bring a fair and balanced viewpoint to the Council of Governors.  

I have 30 years’ experience working in the west Suffolk community and using this knowledge I aim to engage colleagues to ensure the Trust Board is constantly aware of the issues that matter to our staff.

Working in the community division as a senior matron, I cover community clinical staff nurses and therapists across multiple teams.

I have truly valued the privilege of being a staff governor for the last five years and will continue to represent colleague views and needs as an integrated acute and community trust, building a brighter future for the organisation. 

A consultant orthopaedic surgeon, I have worked for the Trust since 1999. Having served as a staff governor for three years, I understand what can be achieved and passionately believe in the importance of our staff in running the organisation.

Listening to staff is key. By representing the view from the shop floor, and explaining clinical context to the Board, fellow governors, and executives, I help inform decision making and use my experience to support building our exciting future. 

I am the Associate Medical Director for the West Suffolk Alliance. I am also the Clinical Lead GP at Unity Healthcare in Haverhill, with a strong track record in delivering service transformation with particular expertise in digital healthcare.

I have worked as a GP since 2015, and before that worked in hospital medical and surgical specialities (including at West Suffolk Hospital). I am a GP with a special interest in Dermatology, and until January 2023 also worked for the West Suffolk Hospital Dermatology department.

I am a partner governor nominated by the West Suffolk District Council, where I am Councillor for the Barningham Ward. I am a member of the Cabinet as well as being on the Development Control and Licensing Committees.

I was the Eastern Regional Administrator for the Meat and Livestock Commission for around 18 years, based in Bury St Edmunds. After that I managed a barrister’s chambers for about 18 years, with 64 barristers across chambers in Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester, and Chelmsford.

The skills I bring from these roles, among others, include governance, HR, project management, property maintenance and finance.

I am a partner governor nominated by Suffolk County Council.

I am also a governor for the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust and a member of the Integrated Care Partnership for both Norfolk & Waveney and Suffolk and North East Essex. I therefore have a lot of experience working in the health and social care sector.

I am currently cabinet member for adult care at Suffolk County Council, which involves partnership working across the whole of the health and social care system.

I live in Bury St Edmunds and West Suffolk Hospital is in my local area.

I am a partner governor nominated by the University of Cambridge.

A respiratory physician with an interest in lung cancer and interventional pulmonology, I work at the West Suffolk Hospital and Cambridge University Hospitals. I am respiratory lead and a member of the respiratory board of the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System. I also hold an honorary consultant post at Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge.

A tutor and director of studies for the Cambridge graduate course, I am also external examiner for the graduate medicine course, Oxford.

Currently I am involved with higher medical training in respiratory medicine and serve on the specialist training committee.

Both my association with the University of Cambridge and as a fellow at Wolfson college, allows me to represent the university and offer an education and training perspective to the governor board. The West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is closely linked with the university through our junior and senior staff and the sharing of patients with Cambridge University Hospitals and Royal Papworth Hospital.

I bring my experience in all these areas to the Council of Governor discussions, oversight of our non-executive directors and the Trust Board, when seeking assurance for the safety and improvement of patient care. 

I am Executive Dean of University Studies at West Suffolk College, part of the Eastern Colleges Group.

I have worked in research and vocational academia for over 20 years. I have undertaken multi-faceted roles requiring business acumen, effective people and project management, and an ability to build and expand networks and partnerships to achieve strategic and operational objectives. I seek to bring this experience to the Trust.

As a Partner Governor representing education, I hope to use my experience to support the continued development of education, training, and professional practice; and evaluation of innovative practice to inform longer term strategy.