Meet your governor

Good healthcare, particularly at a time of unprecedented change, is vital to the health and success of every community. Timely access to local high-quality NHS services that meet the needs of our communities is what we should expect. I come from an NHS family and I’ve worked in Mental Health since 1983. I have developed a strong understanding of complex services, changing health landscapes and the multiplicity of people’s requirements. I live in Amber Valley and enjoy being part of a vibrant community. I will work hard to represent the views of the community and support Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Trust in the development and continuous improvement of services for residents in Amber Valley and across Derbyshire.

Angela lives in Amber Valley and has a strong sense of community. Now retired, she worked in the local voluntary sector for 35 years, 20 years in mental health, supporting organisations that are often user led to thrive and influence the development of better services for people experiencing mental ill health. Angela has served three years as a public governor for Amber Valley. She attends most governor meetings in person since this has been possible. She finds this enables governors to ask relevant questions and hold the Non-Executive Directors to account. She has been on several Board visits across services, attended the Living Well collaborative, and the local voluntary sector Mental Health Forums. She supports open and transparent decision making; and advocates for the strong involvement of people who use services, those caring for people and partner organisations that can support the Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (DHCFT) to deliver exceptional care. Angela notes that it has been a difficult time for mental health with increased demand set against NHS financial constraint. However, she is pleased that DHCFT will shortly benefit from the opening of several new wards designed to improve patient dignity, and the introduction of the first ever psychiatric intensive care beds in Derbyshire, enabling more people to access the treatment they need much closer to home. It is an exciting though challenging time and she is pleased that she is able to continue to offer her voice to ensure that this work goes well in the next three years.

Neil is pleased to have been a member of Derbyshire Healthcare Foundation Trust for over 10 years. He is a recently retired self-employed Chartered Surveyor and former Building Engineer, with about 50 years of experience in the world of work. He began as a surveyor in the Coal Industry and later he became a College Lecturer, before concentrating on a career in private practice. Neil is also a local Councillor on North East Derbyshire District Council, where he is Deputy Chair of the Services Scrutiny Committee. He is also Deputy Chair of Wingerworth Parish Council and Chair of its Premises and Facilities Committee. These roles have given him some valuable experience in public service. Neil is looking forward to the governor role and believes he can make a valuable contribution.

Statement to follow.

Jill has recently retired from her role as Head of Adult Safeguarding in Derbyshire. During her 43 year career in social care she managed community services and worked with local health communities to develop services that meet the needs of local people including the shaping of mental health services. Jill is passionate about improving mental health services and has worked with partners to try and ensure that the needs of local people are met. Jill has been a carer for the last 18 years and has lived experience of acute mental illness from a carers point of view.

Dave worked at Chesterfield Royal Hospital as a Biomedical Scientist for over 40 years and in addition is an elected Councillor on Derbyshire County Council. He appreciates that the responsibilities of the Trust are extensive and cover many of the services that the general population may need. Over the years he has been involved with individuals and families that need mental health and general support. Dave has also actively supported voluntary and statuary organisations within the county in their work. He is aware that the pressures of both the pandemic and current economic situation have affected the mental health people of all ages. Dave believes that the recent development of Joined Up Care Derbyshire is a good basis to try to achieve a more seamless service with joint working with NHS Trusts, adult care and voluntary sector organisations. Dave is looking forward to being more involved in Joined Up Care Derbyshire and holding the Non-Executive Directors to account to help in the development of services.

Jane’s motto is “Your Health, Our Commitment Together for a Healthier Community.” Jane feels honoured to be a governor representing Derby City East and to help Derbyshire Healthcare provide the best care for her community. Her goal is to amplify local voices, ensuring the Trust remains accountable, responsive, and transparent. Inspired by Nelson Mandela’s words, “Health cannot be a question of income; it is a fundamental human right,” Jane is committed to fostering a healthcare system that reflects the dignity and needs of every resident. As a governor, I will prioritize community engagement and hold the Non-Executive Directors to account for quality and inclusivity in care.

I would relish the opportunity to give something back to my local community which I value being part of. My mother spent most of her working career as a nurse, as a father I watched my son being born in NHS care and personally I have been a patient before so feel I have a connection with the system. I want to ensure that patients are the first priority ensuring that they receive effective care from caring, compassionate and committed staff. I will question and hold the Board of Directors to account ensuring openness, transparency and honesty throughout the system, about matters of concern and effectively represent the interests of the members. This is a role which I feel I would thrive in and really push to make a difference. I believe that the NHS is a pillar of our society and an integral part of our everyday lives. I firmly believe it is an institution worth protecting and making sure it is in a constant state of evolution and improvement, and although the financial constraints of the NHS are well known, I want to be a part of the process to help ensure its changes are managed with the best intentions.

Ruth is passionate about helping the Trust deliver care that truly puts people first. Healthcare has been a significant part of her life for a number of years , due to caring for her daughter who has cystic fibrosis and she understands the importance of services that support both the individual and their family. She has also recently cared for father at home during his final months under palliative care. Her personal experiences have inspired her to be a voice for patients and families, ensuring services are inclusive, understanding, and focused on what really matters to people. Alongside her personal journey, Ruth has spent years working and volunteering in roles that support patients and improve healthcare: • Advocate for Patients: Ruth reviews medical research proposals for Research Support Services East Midlands to ensure they’re ethical, inclusive, and meaningful. • Improving Care Quality: As an Expert by Experience with the Care Quality Commission, Ruth has visited GP practices and hospitals to gather feedback from patients and families to enhance services. • Community Support: Ruth has fundraised for children with cystic fibrosis and supported families through voluntary work. Ruth has also worked closely with healthcare organisations across the region, advocating for better access and services that meet the needs of patients and families. Ruth feels that by becoming a governor she will be able to bring together her personal experiences, professional background, and her passion for making a difference in people’s lives.

Christine has been a governor and volunteer at the Trust for twelve years. She is aware of how difficult it has been for many people after the COVID-19 pandemic. She is aware how crucial it is to get back to normality and that members and patients will be looking for answers on how the system is moving forward. Governors play a very important role in the Trust, ensuring that there is a strong connection with the community served by the Trust and with the staff who work for it. Christine is committed to the values and behaviours of the Trust and supports its goals and objectives. in her governor role she is keen to influence and improve the care and treatment of mental health service users and to represent her constituents in Derby City West. Over the last 12 years, Christine has taken on additional roles sitting on the Panel of Living With and Beyond Cancer, the EQUAL group relating to patient experience and being a voice for the patients and members.

This will be Andrew’s third term as a public governor for Erewash. He is passionate about mental health and wants to make a difference for people using the services provided by the Trust. He has lived experience of mental health issues having had problems with depression earlier in life. Prior to retiring, Andrew worked for nearly six years for Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham covering hospital wide information technology support He has also taught at Community House (night school in Long Eaton), which provided him with an insight into how people react to the "educational process". He has also done a variety of SEND voluntary work such as a MENCAP Play Scheme.

This is the third time that Christopher has been a governor representing Erewash. He is a volunteer for Health Watch and Erewash Voluntary Action.

I have a long standing involvement in health policy and management and with patient safety in particular. My latest book is an international review of health events that went wrong and the lessons that can be learned from these experiences. This contrasts with much of my earlier research which was focused on the future and the opportunities presented by the amazing developments in medical science. I am an Emeritus Professor of Health Care Development at the University of Sheffield where I was Dean of the School for Health and Related Research. I was for four years President of the European Healthcare Federation. I was Chairman of the predecessor organisation to the Health Professions Council which deepened my interest and respect for the professions we regulated. It is now some years since I played an active role in health affairs but these are tough times for the NHS and I still might have something to contribute to my local Community Trust. I now have a very personal , interest in innovative and sensitive services for the elderly!

Fiona works at the University of Nottingham and research into the NHS allowed her to meet many committed and courageous practitioners in the NHS. Fiona would like the opportunity to support them and their patients and clients to get a better experience from our health service. She is aware that there is such a lot of potential in those excellent staff, and in the system, for making the NHS a better place to work and a better place to go to for help for all of us.

This is Hazel’s second term as governor representing South Derbyshire. During her first term of office, she found herself on a steep learning curve but enjoyed every moment being a voice for South Derbyshire. She has been able to draw on her background as a registered mental health nurse and also as an expert by experience. She was attacked by a patient whilst on duty at a different trust and sustained a head injury. She has as a result gone on to suffer complex health conditions and with a diagnosis of PTSD found herself in services rather than just delivering them. She feels that her experience has given her a unique perspective into issues facing the NHS. Through her Governor role she feels that she is making small differences to her local community. She has been able to voice concern about staffing levels within the CMHT and supported the first responders to get mental health first aid. She has helped individuals with issues with their care and signposted others to get support. Hazel has also joined the local PLACE Alliance as an expert by experience and has a good understanding of the issues facing South Derbyshire. A growing population and cuts across the board makes service delivery challenging.

Anson is passionate about people receiving the highest possible standard of care. Anson was previously a mental health service user, and also studied Mental Health Nursing where he was based in Derby for a year. Because of these experiences he understands a range of perspectives regarding mental health and can relate to a wide variety of people. He also worked in Japan as an English teacher in a multicultural environment where fellow language teachers were from a wide variety of countries. As a result, Anson is culturally sensitive and can understand that different communities can have different issues. Anson enjoys writing poems and short stories (some of which have a mental health theme) and obtained a Distinction in Creative Writing from Oxford University and have had poems and short stories published in many university publications. As a result of this he is very passionate about mental health and the arts, and feels that the creative arts can contribute to some people mentally healing. Whilst at university he won a national radio playwriting competition, and has recently had two plays performed. Anson is looking forward to his role as governor.

Mathew has worked in the Trust for over ten years and is looking forward to being involved in the Council of Governors as well as further the idea of integrated and holistic care. He is passionate about patient care and improving services. He understands that people receiving the best care that we can provide is vital to what we do.

Fiona has been an Occupational Therapist for 12 years and has worked in the Trust for 10 years in a range of roles in our Adult Neurodevelopmental Services, Student Practice Learning team, and for the last four years as OT Professional Lead. She has taken a role in our Forensic and Rehabilitation division, which now means that she has worked in every division across the Trust. She is also involved in AHP service provision and workforce development at a system level, working collaboratively with partners from health, social care and VCSE organisations to ensure a joined-up approach to care for people in Derby and Derbyshire. Fiona is looking forward to representing the interests of the Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) within the Trust on the Council of Governors. She sees AHPs as a key part of the workforce who make an invaluable contribution to the services the Trust provides. She wants to be able to ensure that the AHP voice is heard and that our Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Dietitians, Speech and Language Therapists and Social Workers are recognised and supported for the brilliant work that they do. She is committed to ensuring that the Trust values are embedded into everyday practice and that we provide an excellent service to all who access support from us.

During my first term as a governor, I learnt so much about the workings of the Trust and representing the admin and allied support staff in holding the Board to account. I think the Council of Governors plays such an important role and I am delighted to continue supporting them in my role as staff governor for another three years. I have worked in the NHS for over 28 years and am passionate about the role admin and allied support staff can play in improving patient care. I have worked in libraries in different types of NHS organisations and in this role I have come into contact with all types of staff from across each of these organisations. I think I have a good idea of the types of issues they have, but also how they can make a difference. My job is to help all our staff use evidence in their everyday practice and I think this can be transferred to the governor role in helping the Trust become more evidence based.

Claire has worked in the NHS for 23 years mainly in administration. She is currently the team administrator with the Substance Misuse team which she really enjoys. Claire is hoping that as a staff governor, she will have the opportunity to influence the direction of the Trust on current issues; and give colleagues a voice. Claire believes that patients should be treated equally, fairly and with respect and that they should have the opportunity to have the very best care provided by our Trust. As a disabled member of staff, she also hopes to be able to help other disabled staff members to have their voices heard and promote inclusion in the Trust and within the community. By becoming a staff governor Claire feels it will provide her with both professional and personal rewards.

Jo was re-elected for a third term of office. She trained as a RMN in Nottingham, and since qualifying she has worked for the Trust in both parts of the county. She loves frontline working and is currently working as a Ward Manager on one of the acute wards on Hartington Unit. Jo is due to retire in the next three years and is looking forward to continuing in representing her colleagues as staff governor. She continues to hold the Trust values very much to her heart and completely believes that by putting our colleagues first, we can achieve a more positive, happy, productive place, which can only impact on our care delivery to our patients. She is looking forward to continuing to represent staff at various forums and ensure that their views are made known, their ideas explored and activated and their hopes materialised. She is motivated and enthusiastic to continue to improve the delivery of Trust services to the patients in our care and to the staff in our workplace. She believes her previous experience puts her in a good position to represent staff and contribute fully to the Trust decision making process.

Sifo is a Mental Health Nurse and is currently the Clinical and Operations Project Manager for the Trust’s Making Room for Dignity programme. As a Mental Health Nurse, Sifo has first-hand experience of the challenges our dedicated nursing staff face. His role in the Making Room for Dignity programme has refined his skills in strategic planning, enhancing patient care, and operational efficiency. As a governor Sifo is looking forward to championing mental health nursing, and wants to ensure that his colleagues voices are heard. His leadership style is rooted in Trust values, will foster collaboration and bridge gaps between nursing and other departments.

Dr David Robertshaw is Head of School for Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Derby

Debra has a background in Mental Health Nursing, having graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2000, Debra worked as a Mental Health Nurse for several years. During this time, she also undertook guest lecturing roles, and responsibility for student nurses’ practice placement learning. Debra also led on a number of practice development projects before eventually leaving nursing to re-train as a Project and Change Manager. Whilst Debra has spent much of her career within the NHS, she is currently employed by Erewash Voluntary Action in the role of Mental Health Policy Manager. Debra is a passionate advocate for the benefits of volunteering.

Rachel works as the Community Engagement Worker for Derbyshire Voluntary Action. Within the last year she has taken over managing the Mental Health Liaison Service. Her role is to represent and support voluntary sector organisations and community groups across the north of Derbyshire. She is dedicated to building strong relationships across the voluntary, public and private sector, and believes that the most meaningful work comes through innovation and collaboration. Rachel also sits on the Chesterfield Mental Health Partnership Group, a sub-group of the Health and Wellbeing Board, as well as the multi-agency Suicide Prevention Partnership Group. She is pleased to have been appointed as a Derbyshire Healthcare governor and is keen to begin working closely with the other governors.

Cllr Garry Hickton is a councillor for Derbyshire County Council and is the Cabinet Support Member for Children’s Services and Safeguarding.

Statement to follow.

Cllr Alison Martin is a councillor for Derby City Council.