Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is run by a Board of Directors made up of Executive and Non-Executive Directors. The Trust Board of Directors has a responsibility to make the best use of financial resources and deliver the services people need, to standards of safety and quality which are agreed nationally.
Read on to learn more about individual directors and the Board's overall responsibilities.
Trust Board meetings
Meetings of the Trust Board are held in public. Details of upcoming meetings can be found on our events page and a list of Board papers and agendas can be found in our Board Meetings section.
Can I submit a question to the Board of Directors?
Yes - questions will be considered by the Chair if they are sent by email to the Board Secretary up to 48 hours before the meeting. If the Chair believes the question is relevant to an item on the meeting's agenda, a response will be provided by the Board at the meeting. Email your question to our Board Secretariat.
Our Executive Directors
Our Executive Directors are responsible for the day-to-day operation of the organisation. This includes managing committees and staff as well as developing business plans in collaboration with the Non-Executive Directors on the Board. Click on one of the drop-down accordions below to learn more about an individual Executive Director.
Mark became Chief Executive of Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust on 3 April 2023.
As Chief Executive, Mark provides strategic leadership focused on quality, inclusion, partnership working and continuous improvement in services for patients and local communities. Mark is intent on building a compassionate and high-performing organisational culture, improving access to healthcare services, and delivering major infrastructure developments such as the Trust’s new inpatient facilities.
Mark is the executive sponsor of the Trust’s BME Staff Network. Mark is also an Ordinary Member of the Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board, contributing mental health expertise to system wide planning and strategy.
Mark has over 20 years’ experience working in the NHS and brings a wide range of senior leadership experience across mental health, community, acute and commissioning services, with a track record of operational excellence, service transformation and system-level leadership.
Prior to joining the Trust, Mark was Managing Director and Deputy Chief Executive at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, where he oversaw large scale service delivery and contributed to the development of integrated care models. Mark has previously worked at Derbyshire Healthcare as Chief Operating Officer, when he led the Trust’s initial response to the COVID‑19 pandemic and strengthened service resilience across clinical pathways. His earlier roles include Executive Director of Operations at Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and positions in public health and commissioning, developing community health improvement programmes.
Mark lives in Derby and is a keen cyclist and golfer.
Contact
Mark Powell
Chief Executive
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ashbourne Centre
Kingsway Hospital
Derby
DE22 3LZ
Telephone: 01332 623700
Vikki began in post as the Trust’s Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Transformation on 1 June 2022 and was appointed Deputy Chief Executive in March 2024. She then also became Chief Delivery Officer in April 2024.
Vikki is responsible for operational service delivery across the Trust, and is the executive lead for strategy, improvement and transformation including clinical digital transformation and partnership working. Vikki chairs the organisational Trust Delivery Group and the Strategic Portfolio Oversight Group.
Vikki is the executive sponsor for the Trust’s Disability and Wellness Staff Network. She is also the East Midlands Perinatal Services Lead Provider executive on behalf of the East Midlands Provider Alliance.
Vikki has worked in the NHS for over 25 years, where she has provided strategic leadership to support effective delivery, partnership working and continuous improvement. Prior to joining Derbyshire Healthcare, Vikki was the Lead Director for Joined Up Care Derbyshire, where she worked closely with partners to support joined‑up, system‑wide approaches to improving health and care.
Vikki is committed to supporting a culture of openness, accountability and continuous improvement. She works closely with colleagues across the Trust and system partners to ensure strategic priorities translate into tangible improvements in services, staff experience and patient outcomes.
Vikki lives in Derbyshire and volunteers as a Magistrate for the Ministry of Justice.
Contact
Vikki Ashton Taylor
Deputy Chief Executive/Chief Delivery Officer
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ashbourne Centre
Kingsway Hospital
Derby, DE22 3LZ
Telephone: 01332 623700
Girish joined Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust as Executive Medical Director on 29 October 2025, providing clinical leadership across the Trust, with a strong focus on quality, safety, and continuous improvement in mental health services. He oversees medical education, pharmacy and research across the Trust, and supports the implementation of our suicide prevention strategy and the Mental Health Act.
Girish is the executive lead for the Mental Health Act Committee and the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF), supporting our journey to becoming an actively anti-racist organisation.
Girish is the Trust’s Caldicott Guardian, responsible for protecting the confidentiality of people’s health and care information and making sure it is used properly and is the executive sponsor for the Trust’s Multi-Faith Staff Network and Christian Staff Network.
Girish is a consultant psychiatrist with many years’ experience working across the East Midlands and is widely respected for his role in shaping and improving mental health services. He brings substantial clinical and strategic leadership experience to the role, having previously served as Chief Medical Officer at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. He is particularly committed to working collaboratively with clinicians, patients and partners to support safe, effective and compassionate care.
Alongside his Trust role, Girish is the Clinical Director for Midlands Mental Health Team, overseen by NHS England, where he has played a key role in supporting regional collaboration and implementing the NHS Long Term Plan. He is also Vice Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ ECT and Related Treatments Committee, contributing to national standards, learning and best practice. He was also recently appointed as CQC Executive Reviewer.
Girish is passionate about fostering an open and inclusive culture where staff feel supported to speak up, learn and innovate, and where clinical leadership helps drive positive experiences and outcomes for patients and service users.
He is a Trustee for a homeless charity and enjoys running, having participated in many marathons over the years.
Contact
Dr Girish Kunigiri
Medical Director
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ashbourne Centre
Kingsway Hospital
Derby
DE22 3LZ
Telephone: 01332 623700
Tumi joined the Trust in September 2024 as Director of Nursing, Allied Health Professionals, Quality and Patient Experience. In this executive role, he provides professional leadership across nursing and AHP, leads the Trust’s quality and patient experience agenda, and supports delivery of safe, effective and compassionate care.
Tumi holds key executive responsibilities on behalf of the Trust, including joint executive leadership (with the Executive Medical Director) of the Quality and Safeguarding Committee and serving as the Trust’s Director of Infection Prevention and Control. He is also the Trust’s senior point of contact for the Care Quality Commission (CQC), providing leadership and assurance in relation to regulatory standards and inspections.
A registered mental health nurse, Tumi qualified in 2004 at City University London and has worked across a wide range of mental health settings. Prior to his current appointment, he was Interim Director of Nursing at Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and previously worked at Derbyshire Healthcare in 2022 as Interim Executive Director of Nursing and Patient Experience. He brings extensive experience of board-level quality governance, improvement, and regulatory assurance.
Tumi is particularly passionate about improving the care and experience of people during psychiatric emergencies and advancing approaches that improve outcomes for patients and staff. He holds a Master’s degree in Transcultural Health Care from Queen Mary University of London and is a Florence Nightingale Foundation Scholar.
Contact
Tumi Banda
Director of Nursing, Allied Health Professionals, Quality and Patient Experience
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ashbourne Centre
Kingsway Hospital
Kingsway
Derby, DE22 3LZ
Telephone: 01332 623700
Justine joined the Trust as Trust Secretary in June 2019 and was appointed Director of Corporate Affairs and Trust Secretary in April 2024.
In her role, Justine is responsible for supporting effective leadership and decision‑making through the Trust Board, Board Committees and Council of Governors.
Justine’s portfolio includes Foundation Trust membership and governors, legal, Health and Safety, Risk Management, Board Secretariat, Freedom of Information and Freedom to Speak Up. Justine is an executive lead for the Trust’s Audit and Risk Committee and is also executive sponsor for the Trust’s Armed Forces Staff Network. She is also the Trust’s Senior Independent Risk Owner (SIRO), and Counter Fraud Champion.
Justine joined the Trust from University Hospitals of Derby & Burton NHS Foundation Trust, where she was Deputy Director of Governance. She brings wide‑ranging experience in regulation, governance and statutory and legal compliance across the NHS.
Justine is committed to public services, having had a career in Local Government before joining the NHS, she holds a law degree and is chartered secretary qualified.
Contact
Justine Fitzjohn
Director of Corporate Affairs and Trust Secretary
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ashbourne Centre
Kingsway Hospital
Derby, DE22 3LZ
Telephone: 01332 623700
Rebecca was appointed Director of People, Organisational Development and Inclusion on 1 June 2024 having previously served as Deputy Director and then Interim Director of People and Inclusion.
Rebecca is the executive lead for the Trust’s People and Culture Committee and the specialist HR advisor to the Remuneration and Appointments Committee. She is also the executive sponsor for the Trust’s Women’s Staff Network.
Rebecca has worked in the NHS in Derbyshire for over 20 years, with experience across HR and corporate functions including organisational development, service improvement and communications. Before joining the Trust in 2021, she worked at Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, where she led the Organisational Development function across both organisations.
Rebecca holds an Executive MBA and is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Rebecca is committed to supporting an inclusive culture where people feel valued, supported and able to contribute to continuous improvement.
Contact
Rebecca Oakley
Director of People, Organisational Development and Inclusion
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ashbourne Centre
Kingsway Hospital
Derby
DE22 3LZ
Telephone: 01332 623700
James joined the Trust as Director of Finance on 5 February 2024. He is responsible for the Trust’s strategic financial planning, financial control and performance, and for ensuring the Trust meets its statutory and regulatory financial duties.
James leads the Trust’s procurement, contracting and estates functions in addition to being the sustainability lead, supporting the sustainable delivery of high‑quality services. James is the executive lead for the Finance and Performance Committee and the Trust’s audit and counter fraud functions. He is also the executive sponsor for the Trust’s LGBT+ Staff Network.
James brings extensive senior NHS finance and corporate leadership experience. Prior to joining the Trust, he spent over eight years at Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust as Deputy Director of Finance, Procurement and Contracting. He also undertook a secondment as Director of Finance at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, where he additionally led performance, informatics and digital teams and acted as the Trust’s Senior Information Risk Owner.
James is the Derbyshire system Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) Estates lead. He also sits on a number of national groups. He has a keen interest in continuous improvement, innovation and digital solutions, as enablers to drive value in supporting good quality patient care.
Contact
James Sabin
Director of Finance
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ashbourne Centre
Kingsway Hospital
Derby, DE22 3LZ
Telephone: 01332 623700
Our Non-Executive Directors
Our Non-Executive Directors (or NEDs) are members of the Trust's Board of Directors but are not members of the executive management team. They provide independent oversight, both at the Trust Board and by serving on Board committees. Click on a drop-down accordion below to learn more about an individual Non-Executive Director.
Selina Ullah became Chair of Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust on 14 September 2021 and has been reappointed for a second term of office ending 13 September 2027.
Selina had been a Non-Executive Director at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for six years and became its Vice Chair and Senior Independent Director in 2019. Selina’s appointment was approved by the Trust’s Council of Governors in its meeting on 6 July 2021.
Selina is a Board member for the Muslim Women’s Council, having previously been its Chair for 10 years. She holds a number of other non-executive director positions, including at the General Pharmaceutical Council, and is a trustee and board member of NHS Providers, representing mental health providers.
Contact
Selina Ullah
Trust Chair
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ashbourne Centre
Kingsway Hospital
Derby, DE22 3LZ
Telephone: 01332 623700
Lynn first joined in a designate role in the Autumn of 2022 as part of a handover for the clinical Non-Executive Director role before joining formally as a Non-Executive Director (NED) on 11 January 2023. She is the Chair of the Trust's Quality and Safeguarding Committee. Lynn was also successfully appointed as the Trust's new Deputy Chair in August 2025 and became the NED for Freedom to Speak Up in December 2025.
Lynn’s roots are in Scotland where she qualified as a Registered Nurse before moving to the Midlands where she has worked in healthcare since 1987. Lynn has gained qualifications in nursing and NHS management and has a Master’s in Health Policy.
Throughout Lynn’s nursing career she has always worked in roles requiring ongoing professional, clinical and governance knowledge and skills. Lynn’s most recent post was on the Board at Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as Executive Director of Nursing and Patient Care and lead for quality, with a portfolio responsibility including quality improvement, patient experience and safety, safeguarding and infection control.
Lynn has a strong commitment and passion to improving quality and experience for all patients and staff. Working with the East Midlands Strategic Health Authority and with the national NHS Teams, Lynn has gained an excellent understanding of healthcare and the requirements for regulation.
Lynn has lived in Derbyshire for over 20 years, enjoys running in South Derbyshire and the Peak District and was appointed for a three year term of office.
Contact:
Lynn Andrews
Deputy Chair and Non-Executive Director
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ashbourne Centre
Kingsway Hospital
Derby, DE22 3LZ
Telephone: 01332 623700
Jo Hanley became a Non-Executive Director for Derbyshire Healthcare on Monday 4 August 2025. She is Chair of the Trust’s Finance and Performance Committee. With twenty years’ experience working for Lloyds Banking Group, Jo has experience of working in senior operational and financial management roles along with leading transformational change.
Based in Birmingham, Jo continues to be the Co-Chair of the Midlands branch of Women in Banking and Finance, leading the regional strategy to support the Social Enterprise’s equality, diversity and inclusion mission. Jo is also a Non-Executive Director at Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, where she is the Audit and Risk Committee Chair.
Jo is looking forward to supporting the Trust in its transformation journey to continually improve services and patient care, together with supporting our diversity and inclusion ambitions.
Contact:
Jo Hanley
Non-Executive Director
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ashbourne Centre
Kingsway Hospital
Derby, DE22 3LZ
Telephone: 01332 623700
Deborah Good was appointed as Non-Executive Director at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust on 1 March 2022. She has been reappointed for a second three-year term, ending 29 February 2025.
Deborah, a former Housing Director, holds a BA and a Postgraduate Diploma in Housing. She has spent most of her career in the social housing sector, working to improve the quality of services for local communities.
Deborah has experience of serving on various multi-agency boards, including in her role as Executive Director of Customer Experience and Business Support at Solihull Community Housing and as Non-Executive Director at Derwent Living.
Deborah lives in Derbyshire and is a current Trustee of Artcore, a provider of visual arts to diverse communities across Derbyshire.
In her role as Non-Executive Director, Deborah is the chair of the Trust's Mental Health Act Committee and is a member of the Finance and Performance Committee, overseeing all aspects of financial management and operational performance. She also sits on the Audit and Risk Committee, which ensures that the Trust has an effective system of integrated governance, risk management and internal control.
Contact:
Deborah Good
Non-Executive Director
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ashbourne Hospital
Kingsway Site
Derby, DE22 3LZ
Telephone: 01332 623700
Andrew joined the Board of Directors on 13 January 2025, for a three-year term of office.
Andrew is a pharmacist and Consultant in Public Health by background. He has extensive experience of leading public health programmes, addressing health inequalities and improving the health and wellbeing of local communities. Andrew has significant experience of working in senior roles across the NHS and local authorities, and was most recently Chief Executive at St Giles Hospice, near Lichfield.
Andrew lives in Staffordshire and enjoys participating in and coaching people for triathlons. He is currently training for a long-distance triathlon in 2025.
Contact:
Andrew Harkness
Non-Executive Director
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ashbourne Centre
Kingsway Hospital
Derby, DE22 3LZ
Telephone: 01332 623700
Ralph Knibbs joined the Trust formally as a Non-Executive Director on the 1 July 2022. He is the chair of the Trust’s People and Culture Committee and Senior Independent Director.
For over 20 years, Ralph has operated as a Strategic Senior Human Resources Business Partner, with experience of working in both the public and private sector, as well as within complex international matrix organisations such as Rolls-Royce plc. Highly skilled at delivering people transformational change programmes to improve business performance. Possesses a deep understanding of team working through his extensive experience of professional sport. He is a passionate ally of equality, diversity and inclusion.
Ralph is currently the Head of Human Resources at United Kingdom Athletics Limited where he has been since 2011. From 2020, he has also undertaken a volunteer role as Vice-Chair of the RFU Diversity and Inclusion Implementation Working Group at the England Rugby Football Union with the aim to increase diversity and inclusion in the leadership and governance structures within the game.
He lives in Derbyshire and was reappointed for a second three-year term of office, ending on 30 June 2028.
Contact:
Ralph Knibbs
Non-Executive Director
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ashbourne Centre
Kingsway Hospital
Derby, DE22 3LZ
Telephone: 01332 623700
Chioma Akpom joined Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust as a Non-Executive Director in December 2025. She brings 25 years of experience in digital transformation, audit, governance, risk and compliance, gained across multiple industries.
Chioma is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA). She is currently the Managing Director and Global Head of Audit Systems, Data, Analytics and Innovation at HSBC, where she leads the digital strategy and transformation.
In her role at Derbyshire Healthcare, Chioma chairs the Trust’s Audit and Risk Committee. Her appointment to a three-year term was confirmed by the Trust’s Council of Governors.
Contact:
Chioma Akpom
Non-Executive Director
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ashbourne Centre
Kingsway Hospital
Derby, DE22 3LZ
Telephone: 01332 623700
Role of the Board of Directors
The role of the Board of Directors is to manage the Trust by:
- Setting the overall strategic direction of the Trust within the context of NHS priorities
- Regularly monitoring our performance against objectives
- Providing effective financial stewardship through value for money, financial control and financial planning
- Ensuring that the Trust provides high quality, effective and patient focused services through clinical governance
- Ensuring high standards of corporate governance and personal conduct
- Promoting effective dialogue between the Trust and the local communities we serve.
Our Trust Board meets monthly to discuss the business of the organisation. This meeting is held in public and anyone is welcome to attend and hear about our latest developments and performance. Learn more about Board meetings.
Responsibilities of the Board of Directors
The Trust's Board of Directors has a responsibility to make the best use of financial resources and deliver the services people need, to standards of safety and quality which are agreed nationally.
The Board of Directors ensures that good business practice is followed and that the organisation is stable enough to respond to unexpected events, without jeopardising services, and confident enough to introduce changes where services need to be improved.
The Board of Directors carries the final overall corporate accountability for its strategies, its policies and actions as set out in the Codes of Conduct and Accountability issued by the Secretary of State. In order to discharge its responsibilities for the governance of the Trust, the Board has established a number of Committees of the Board.
Our current directors
To find out information about our current Board of Directors, please view their profiles above.
In making the most recent Non-Executive appointments, the Nominations Committee has taken account of the skills requirement advised by the Directors. The Trust Board is satisfied that all Directors are appropriately qualified to discharge their functions effectively, including ensuring management capacity and capability.
The Trust Board’s composition and range of skills and experience has been revisited as vacancies arise.
