Meet our Governors

Until September 2022, I was a Staff Governor, at Gateshead Health, representing not only staff but also members of the public. I would like to continue representing the people of Gateshead, as a Public Governor. I have over 50 years experience working as a Registered Nurse, within the NHS, and also with Social Care ,working for Gateshead Council, as a manager within residential care. I have also worked for the Care Quality Commission as a Clinical and Professional Adviser, assisting with inspections of care and nursing homes. My most recent work role was that of Operational Site Manager, with the Covid 19 vaccination service, ensuring that the population of Gateshead are kept safe. I am also a Volunteer at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, working as a Response Volunteer, and also a member of the PLACE team, which ensure that high standards are maintained within the hospital, which enhances patient care. As staff governor, I have been able to raise questions about important aspects of the trusts operations and staff and public concerns. I believe that I can continue to contribute more, given the opportunity to work with the trust to improve the high standards of quality care that the trust already delivers, and represent the people of Gateshead. I am committed that the people of Gateshead receive the best NHS care possible.

After retiring in 2010, I commenced volunteering at the Queen Elizabeth hospital where I have worked in the Outpatients Department and currently work in the Chemotherapy Day Unit. I have previously served a 3 year term as a Public Governor which included 18 months as Lead Governor; following this I served as a Staff/Volunteer Governor from January 2020 to June 2021. During my time as a Governor, I was active on numerous committees and continue to do so as a patient representative. I feel that my previous experience as a Governor together with my communication and organisational skills would enable me to make a valuable contribution to the Council of Governors and help facilitate the Trust’s aims for the best possible patient services. I would therefore welcome this opportunity to utilise the knowledge and experience I have gained previously and serve a further term as a Public Governor for Gateshead Central.

Living in Gateshead all my life, I have in the past had need of hospital care for both family and myself and always experienced a high standard of care. Now recently retired, I would welcome the opportunity to give something back. Through working in administration, I have an understanding of many business aspects and have a common sense approach to life. I also have a strong empathy with people and believe these strengths together will enable me to fulfil a worthwhile position within the trust to the benefit of staff and patients alike.

My background includes being a teacher of the deaf, a listening volunteer at Tyneside Samaritans and currently work as a volunteer at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. As a Gateshead resident for 40 plus years, I and close family members have been treated as inpatients and outpatients at the hospital, most recently during Covid when I had first hand experience of hospital treatment. As a volunteer at the hospital, I come into close contact with patients. I am the patient representative in a team which assesses wards and clinics on a weekly basis. My role is to ask patients their views of their hospital experience and ensure that that these are fed back to hospital staff. I would feel privileged to be a governor and would approach the role professionally with enthusiasm and 100% commitment. I am willing to undertake the necessary training and I feel I have the confidence and sound judgement to challenge constructively when necessary.

I have lived in Gateshead for over 45 years. I worked for a French pharmaceutical company for 33 years, both in England and in France. During that time I worked in maintenance and project engineering, international IT projects and world-wide purchasing, both of raw materials and production equipment . I worked in a highly regulated industry, which involved meeting the detailed operational requirements of the MHRA, the FDA and external customers, both in the UK and in other countries . I have worked with many multi-disciplinary international teams. I took early retirement in 2007 I am impressed by the dedication and application of the staff of the NHS and am particularly interested in how the system can better respond to the patient needs, and given my background and experience, I feel that I can make a valuable contribution.

As a Public Governor at Gateshead NHS Trust for the past six years, I have been committed to improving patient care, fostering innovation, and engaging with the community. I have represented members and played an instrumental role in proposing changes and improvements, achieving positive outcomes. Since 1994, I have served as Chair of LIVErNORTH, an unpaid volunteer-run charity, gaining valuable experience in healthcare management, governance and public policy. This role has strengthened my ability to represent diverse stakeholders and contribute to strategic decision making. I am particularly focused on patient well-being and the challenges of NHS service delivery. With a proven track record of collaboration, public engagement, and championing NHS values, I am committed to transparency, accountability, and inclusivity. If elected, I will work closely with fellow Governors, Directors, and Non-Executive Directors to navigate future challenges and opportunities, ensuring the best outcomes for patients, staff and the wider community.

I am a retired Civil Servant having spent many years as a senior leader in a specialist area supporting customers who had taken their issues to the Parliamentary & Public Health Service Ombudsman. I believe my experience in working collaboratively with both customers and official bodies, together with my ability to lead and support teams in improving customer service would be beneficial to the constituency and the Trust. Having lived in Washington for over 40 years and been a patient of the Trust, receiving the most excellent care, it would be a privilege to represent the constituency as a Public Governor. I would be committed to seeing every patient receive the highest quality of care, every time, from a well trained, motivated & caring workforce.

For the last three years I have been a Govenor at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital The work and meetings I have really enjoyed and would like to continue. The Hospital had me for 3 days a week as a Volunteer which I loved every moment for 7 years prior to my being Public Govenor I also do Volunteer work for Gateshead Council on Social Services which I have done since 1975 and still do I am a people person and I do an awful lot for people in my area. Before I retired I worked for a Chartered Accountants Company as Accountant and Office Manager I trained young people who still keep in touch with me.

I have lived in Gateshead for many years and have personal experience of Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust services, particularly in women’s health. Four years ago, I also completed successful treatment for head and neck cancer, which has deepened my appreciation of excellent, compassionate care. Professionally, I work as a physiotherapist with a strong interest in prevention and rehabilitation, and I am considering a Master’s degree in Public Health to strengthen my contribution to improving local health outcomes. I will represent the views of members across all services, drawing on my perspective as a patient, healthcare professional and resident. I will actively support the Trust’s ICORE values of inclusion, compassion, openness, respect and excellence. I am especially committed to championing patient-centred approaches and supporting service development in women’s health and preventative care.

I am proud to put myself forward as a candidate representing the Ryton area where I reside. With a strong professional background in both acute hospital and mental health services within our region, I bring a unique and balanced perspective to this vital role. I have firsthand experience of the pressures and triumphs faced by frontline staff and the importance of delivering safe, compassionate care. I now work within a mental health organisation, deepening my understanding of the complexities of integrated care and the urgent need for parity between physical and mental health services. As a local resident, I am deeply invested in the wellbeing of our community and passionate about ensuring that Gateshead Health continues to deliver high-quality, equitable services that reflect the needs of all its people. I will champion the voices of Ryton and surrounding areas, and advocate for joined up care across services

As a newly appointed Public Govenor representing the Western Constituency my remit is to ensure that your interests and views are conveyed to the Trust and keep you informed of their performance. My business background was within the Building Industry as a Senior Contracts Manager and for some years the Managing Director of my family owned Building Services company. I have lived in Whickham for over 50 years, am married with two grown up children and four grandchildren. Since retiring I have had personal experience of patient care in both Cardiac and Urology departments. I will actively strive to improved the Trusts performance and to encourage recruitment from within my Constituency at all levels of the organisation.

I have lived and worked in the area most of my life and would like to become a governor of Gateshead NHS Trust. I recognise the advantages of having such a great institution on my doorstep and I am also much more aware of the sustainability efforts having to be made to contribute to climate solutions. I worked in the Education sector as a School Business Manager where I developed the necessary skills and expertise that complement the role of a governor as well as the ability to communicate, question and challenge when necessary. I am retired, have time to give, patience to listen and the ability to understand and pass on relevant information. There have been many times when my family has needed the expertise and kindness shown by the staff and by becoming a governor I can help give back in some small way and say thank you.

NHS is facing unprecedented challenges on all fronts with increasing risk to patients. Social care is struggling to fulfil the demands and expectations. The Gateshead Health NHS FT is among the many trying hard to cope with maintaining safety and quality. Most my forty years of NHS work has been in providing acute care in the largest northern teaching hospital. After retirement, my voluntary work is in Citizens Advice, Torture Care and Royal Medical Benevolent Fund. Being a Board Member of Healthwatch, and using the experiences and perspectives of patients, service users, families and carers I know how to influence provision and development of health and care services. I have served as Governor of three FTs. I am familiar with systems and processes. I have the experience, skill, enthusiasm, and time to effectively represent experiences and views of members and public to contribute to good governance.

Having lived in Gateshead for over 25 years, and having benefitted from the excellent care provided by Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust in the past, I’d now like to use my experience and knowledge to continue to improve services for local residents. I work within general practice, and have previously worked in social housing, and I believe that we can improve the quality of public services by greater collaboration and integration, ensuring that people benefit from joined-up services rather than fragmentation. Additionally, as a qualified accountant, I’m interested in ensuring that services are delivered as efficiently as possible so that we make the best use of public money, and I hope to have the opportunity to use these skills to improve health care within Gateshead.

My name is Helen Adams. I am a Specialist Nurse Practitioner in the Trust. I have worked for the Trust since 2004 on various Wards and Departments. I work in the Corporate Services and Transformation Team, I am a Service Improvement Clinical Nurse and also the Trust’s “Making Every Contact Count” (MECC) Lead. Essentially my role is looking into how the Trust can promote equity and non-discrimination to all patients and staff. I am passionate about health inequalities and my role allows me to address this as I strive to make a difference for the people of Gateshead. I live in Gateshead reinforcing my interest in the Trust and the community and staff it supports. I believe I would be an excellent addition to the council of governors as a Staff Governor. I always strive to be an advocate ensuring the views of patients and staff are listened to, in doing so I aim to improve services for the Trust not only now but also in the future.

I have worked as a pharmacist in the Trust for the past 15 years. I care passionately about both patients and staff in the organisation, and am proud of the way that staff working here describe the feeling of being part of a family. I am committed to providing the best possible experience for our patients and the Gateshead community and always seek to improve and develop the services that we offer. I work well as part of a team and enjoy building relationships across the MDT using my strong communication skills. I thrive in challenging situations and would like to support the Trust through the difficult times currently facing the NHS.

I joined the trust in July 2020 after 3 years at JCUH Middlesbrough and my front line experience means I really do understand the current unprecedented pressures that Covid has placed on us all. The fact we have managed to more than survive is ultimately down to the reasons I enjoy working here namely incredible teamwork, camaraderie and people repeatedly going above and beyond for each other and our patients. Yet existing problems must also be acknowledged if we wish to solve them including staffing shortages especially amongst the nursing staff and their frequent redeployment. Effective communication and collaboration between the front line and the trust board will be of paramount importance in navigating a challenging winter and beyond. I promise to act as an advocate for staff colleagues and ensure that concerns raised in the changing and coffee rooms mirror those in the boardroom.

As an internationally trained nurse with 5 years of experience working in the UK, I have had the opportunity to work on the wards and serve as a professional nurse advocate in the Trust. Currently, I work as a practice development nurse in the international recruitment team with the aim of preparing the IEN for the wards and nursing in the UK. I am passionate about the welfare of staff and believe that maintaining an inclusive and diverse environment positively enhances patient care. I am also approachable and value effective communication. If elected, I would be honoured to represent the staff, keep staff informed of work undertaken by the Council of Governors, and seek their views. Additionally, I would communicate staff feedback to the Council of Governors on how decisions impact them.

I joined the Trust as a Consultant in Trauma and Orthopaedics just over 6 years ago, having completed training in the North East followed by Sheffield and awarded travelling scholarships in North America. I felt welcomed into the Trust and wider community when I first started and continue to be impressed by the dedication and friendly nature of the staff at QE Hospital. I work within a multidisciplinary team and have a close working relationship with ward based, theatre and non-clinical staff within the Trust. I have been the orthopaedic lead for hip fracture care at Gateshead for last 5 years. Following a positive and inclusive team work attitude helped the implementation of several quality improvement projects, with the unit now recognised nationally for consistently being in the top five Trusts in the country for following best practice in hip fracture care. I believe that high staff morale is needed for having a pleasant workplace, which helps everyone reach full potential and thereby provide good patient care. My enthusiasm to gather feedback from colleagues at all levels puts me in a good position to represent your views. I would strive to represent staff views within the council of Governors and champion ICORE values of the Trust. Having worked in the Trust as a senior clinician, I not afraid to speak up and be heard when needed. I value positive and good communication across hospital teams. I am approachable, enthusiastic about change and committed to effectively represent staff views.

With 36 years nursing experience in the NHS, I hope to be able to act as a voice for both patients and their carers. Patient and public involvement is vital for healthcare and I believe that co-production can help to develop high quality effective services. I am passionate about quality improvement in order to make healthcare services the best they can be. Sustainability is a key priority and the Covid-19 pandemic has shown the potential for providing services in different ways with the rapid acceleration of the digital transformation of healthcare, bringing the opportunity to build on this to offer a range of options for care going forwards. This is an exciting time with the focus on system wide working and I am keen to play a part for the benefit of the local population.