Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of Amanda Venner to Group Executive Director of People and Organisational Development (OD), Joanne Halliwell to Group Chief Operating Officer and Gavin Evans to Managing Director of QE Facilities, a wholly owned subsidiary.
Trudie Davies, Chief Executive for Gateshead Health said: “I am delighted to welcome Amanda, Joanne and Gavin to our executive team.
“They were all exceptional candidates in a very strong field and their wealth of experience and leadership will undoubtedly enhance Gateshead Health’s position as a leading healthcare organisation.”
Amanda Venner is a Chartered CIPD professional and is currently the interim Director of People and OD at Gateshead Health. Previously, she held the position of Deputy Director of People and OD at the Trust, where she was the senior operational lead for the function, overseeing the full range of services. Prior to this role, Amanda served as the Interim Deputy Director of Workforce and Workforce Programme Transformation Lead for the North East and North Cumbria as well as the Head of Workforce Planning, Medical Education and Recruitment at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust.
Commenting on her appointment, Amanda said: “I’m excited to continue my journey at Gateshead Health as your Director of People and OD. I want to support and develop the talented colleagues we already work with, and I think we can accomplish great things together for our teams and patients.”
Joanne Halliwell has been the interim Chief Operating Officer at Gateshead Health since September 2023. She is an accomplished healthcare professional and a registered general nurse with a wealth of experience in various operational and leadership roles. She previously held the position of Director of Operations (Medicine) at the Trust from June to September 2023. Prior to this, she worked at Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, where she held several key positions including Deputy Chief Operating Officer and a number of Director level positions. Before this, she worked as an Associate Director for Business Development at Yorkshire Ambulance Service from 2010 to 2015.
Joanne Halliwell said: I am thrilled to be appointed as the new Group Chief Operating Officer. I am confident that the work we have started together since my arrival in Gateshead will continue to gain pace and I am committed to working with the teams at Gateshead and our partners to create a clinically led environment where everyone can thrive.”
Gavin Evans is a very experienced manager who currently works as the Deputy Director of Estates at Newcastle Hospitals. He has a vast amount of experience in the NHS, across the North East and Scotland and across the estates and facilities industry. He has also been a serving officer in the British Army.
Gavin Evans said: “I am honoured to be appointed as managing director of QE Facilities. I am committed to ensuring that we continue to provide the highest quality estates and facilities services to the NHS in Gateshead and beyond.
“I am passionate about the NHS and its mission of providing high-quality healthcare to all. I am excited to start working with the teams across Gateshead Health to develop and implement innovative strategies that will help us to meet the challenges of the future and deliver world-class estates and facilities services to the NHS.”
The appointments for chief operating officer and director for people and organisational development will take place with immediate effect. Gavin Evans will join QE Facilities in early 2024.