The 27 policy board members comprise a chair and two vice chairs supported by:
- immediate past chair
- two acute trust chief executives
- two acute trust HR directors
- two PCT chief executives
- two PCT HR directors
- two senior mental health trust / learning disability representatives
- one senior care trust representative
- one senior ambulance trust representative
- two chair / non executive directors
- two nurse directors from any NHS organisation
- one acute trust medical director
- one PCT medical director
- one senior allied health professional / senior healthcare scientist representative from any NHS organisation
- one SHA workforce lead representative
- one SHA chief executive
- one senior Special Health Authority representative
- one finance director from any NHS organisation.
Elections are conducted by the independent organisation the Electoral Reform Services using a fair and transparent process that is in accordance with the NHS Confederation’s policy and with best practice.
Chair of the Policy Board
Simon Pleydell, Chief Executive, South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust
Simon was appointed to the policy board in December 2004 as acute Chief Executive representative. He was appointed as chair of the policy board in December 2008.
Simon has worked in a number of management and leadership posts in the NHS since 1980. After 10 years operational experience in London Simon moved to South Tees Hospitals as director of planning. In 1997 he was appointed chief executive of East Yorkshire Trust and then subsequently CE of York Trust. He was appointed CE of South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust in 2003.
Vice chair of the Policy Board
James Birrell, Chief Executive, Aintree Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Jim was appointed to the policy board in December 2004 as acute Chief Executive representative and was appointed as vice chair of the policy board in May 2008. Jim is involved in supporting and inputting to the work we carry out around productivity and efficiency.
Jim started his career as a qualified accountant and after working in local government he joined the NHS in 1983. He has worked in and around Liverpool as a finance director, as well as 8 years at the North West RHA/Regional Office as director of finance and then performance. Jim has been chief executive at Aintree since 2001.
Vice chair of the Policy Board
Daniel Mortimer, Director of Human Resources, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Danny joined the policy board in November 2006 as acute trust HR representative and was appointed as vice chair of the policy board in May 2008.
Danny has been Director of HR at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust since July 2007. Prior to this he was Director of HR at East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust.
Danny first worked in the NHS as a porter during university vacations. He was then a Personnel Management Trainee, largely at the North Staffordshire Hospital. Roles followed in Bath and Brighton, and his first Director post was the joint role for Royal West Sussex NHS Trust and Western Sussex PCT.
Immediate past chair of the Policy Board
John Rostill - Chief Executive, Worcestershire Hospitals NHS Trust
John chaired the policy board from December 2004 to December 2008 and speaks regularly on behalf of employers in the press and at events.
His career spans more than 40 years and has included senior positions in personnel and general management. John has been an NHS chief executive since 1990 and was appointed to his current role of chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust in September 2003.
Acute trust chief executive representative
Joanna Cubbon, Chief Executive, Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Jo was appointed to the policy board in August 2008. Jo joined the Taunton & Somerset NHS Foundation Trust as Chief Executive in April 2008.
She started out as a Registered General Nurse, has trained as a Health Visitor and has an MBA from Liverpool University. Jo spent a number of years in both clinical and senior management roles also taking up the CEO role at Burton Hospitals before joining East Lancashire NHS Trust, a four site, 7000 staff hospital with an annual budget of £292m in 2005.
Acute trust chief executive representative
Lorene Read, Chief Executive, Weston Area Health NHS Trust
Lorene joined the policy board in August 2008. Lorene commenced her career in 1975 as a Nurse Trainee in Bristol followed by a succession of nursing roles including a period in Switzerland and Australia.
She returned to the UK in 1990 and held a number of Nurse Director roles in England and Wales, during which time she became an alternate member of the then EEC Advisory Committee for Nurse Training.
Acute trust HR representative
Denise Harnin, Director of Human Resources, The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust
Denise was elected to the policy board in August 2008. Starting her career in private sector, Denise has 25 years experience as a generalist Human Resource Practitioner. Transferring to the Health Sector in 1988 she has managed significant services change, re-organisations and mergers, in partnership with Trade Unions and professional organisations.
Denise has more recently contributed at national level working on Department of Health Policy and Strategy before returning to an Acute Hospital as part of an Executive Team established to deliver financial turnaround and long term viability.
Acute trust HR representative
Sue Donaldson, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust
Sue joined the policy board in February 2009. Sue has worked in the NHS since 2004, starting as Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development at Gloucester PCT, then at Poole NHS Foundation Trust and in November 2009 started a similar role at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust.
Prior to this Sue has an extensive HR and operational career with The Post Office, most notably leading pay, contractual and organisational change programmes.
PCT chief executive representative
Michael Pyrah, Chief Executive, Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT
Mike joined the policy board in December 2004. Mike is a member of the policy board Primary Care Subgroup.
He has worked in the NHS for 25 years in roles that include unit general manager and director of a health authority. Mike has been an NHS chief executive since 1995 and was appointed as chief executive of the newly reconfigured Cheshire PCT in August 2006.
PCT chief executive representative
Prem Singh, Chief Executive - Derby City PCT
Prem was appointed to the policy board in December 2004. Prem is chair of our Healthcare Professions Advisory Board which aims to influence the policy development and implementation of modernising nursing careers and other healthcare profession workforce changes. He is also a member of the policy board Primary Care Subgroup. Prem took up his current post as chief executive of Central & Greater Derby PCTs (now NHS Derby City) in January 2004.
Prem has worked in health and social services for 33 years in total. He began his career in nursing – starting as a then, psychiatric nurse. He has operated at executive/board level for over 18 years and has been a chief executive for well over 7 years. Prem has particular interests in human resources, leadership development and in equality and diversity issues.
PCT HR representative
Tina Smallwood, Director of HR and Organisational Learning, Hull PCT
Tina was appointed to the policy board in December 2004. She has 17 years of experience working within HR including working in Local Authorities and the NHS. She has worked in social services, education and corporate services as well as a large acute NHS hospital.
Tina was director of HR at West Hull PCT from 2003 and was appointed in November 2006 as Director of HR for the new NHS Hull. Tina also sits on the NHS Confederation council of members, the policy board Primary Care Subgroup and attends the National Social Partnership Forum. Tina has a particular interest in making partnership working a success.
PCT HR representative
Chris Stocks, Head of Human Resources, Sheffield PCT
Chris joined the policy board in August 2008. Prior to his current role Chris has over 25 years experience within the NHS, most recently the Director of Human Resources for the Sheffield Children's NHS Trust.
Chris is a Fellow of the CIPD and has taken very active involvement on the NHS Employers Assembly, which has included participation in the Age Diversity Reference Group and the Equalities and Diversity Core Group looking at the development of a new diversity strategy for NHS Employers.
Senior mental health representative
Sandy Taylor, Chief Executive, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust
Sandy joined the policy board in October 2007. Sandy commenced his career in the NHS in 1965 as a nurse and has held various clinical and managerial posts in Scotland, West Midlands, County Durham and North Yorkshire.
Sandy was appointed as Unit General Manager to Bradford Priority Services Trust in 1991 taking the unit forward as a 2nd wave Trust in 1992. He was Dorset Community Trust Chief Executive from 1997 to 1998 then joining the newly merged County Durham and Darlington Priority Services Trust in 1998. He was a council member and trustee of the NHS Confederation and chaired the NHS Confederation's mental health policy committee for a number of years. He is a member of the National Social Partnership Forum.
Senior mental health representative
David Curtis MBE, Director of Nursing and Integrated Governance, Pennine Care NHS Trust
David joined the policy board in October 2007. David was appointed as Director of Nursing and Integrated Governance in 2002 and was formerly a Clinical Director in Oldham. He has held several general management posts over a period of 20 years.
David is a qualified nurse and has played a leading part in redesigning nursing and medical roles within mental health services. He led the work to introduce an efficient system of employing locum psychiatrists and other temporary staff. He is currently leading a project to introduce changes into In-Patient areas. In 2008 David was awarded an MBE for services to healthcare in Greater Manchester.
Care trust senior executive representative
Sandra Knight, Director of HR, Bradford District Care Trust
Sandra rejoined the policy board in October 2007 as our Care Trust representative. Sandra has worked in the NHS for over 20 years in a variety of Human Resources, Corporate and Organisation Development roles.
Sandra joined Bradford District Care Trust in May 2007 as Director of Human Resources after five years in Bradford City Teaching Primary Care Trust as Director of Corporate Development and as interim director leading the HR, Communications and PALS/Patient and Public Involvement workstreams, as the four PCTs merged to form Bradford and Airedale Teaching PCT. She is a qualified executive Coach and ACAS trained mediator and currently Chairs the West Yorkshire HR Directors Network.
Ambulance trust senior executive representative
Chris Harrison, Director of HR, North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Chris joined the policy board in December 2004. Chris is a member of the Pay Negotiating Council. He also sits on the NHS Employers Pay Reference Group.
Chris worked as an HR Director in both Acute and Community settings in the north of England before moving to Corus (formerly British Steel), working in a number of senior HR roles for 5 years. Chris has been in his current role since May 2002.
Chair/NED representative
This post is vacant.
Chair/NED representative
Gerald Coteman, Chair, Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
Gerald joined the policy board in February 2008. Gerald is Managing Partner of The Focus Group, business and management consultants. He has wide experience of the public sector. In September 2009 he began his current post after ten years as Non Executive Director at Addenbrookes.
A former Cambridge City and Cambridgeshire County Councillor, he joined Cambridge Health Authority as a Board Member in the early 1980s. Over the past 25 years, he has acted in a professional capacity for a number of health and local government organisations and government departments in areas such as strategy and policy review, communications, feasibility & modelling, human resources, performance management and public consultation. Gerald also sits on the NHS Confederation council of members.
Nurse director representative
Liz Childs, Director of Nursing and Quality, South Devon Healthcare NHS FT
Liz joined the policy board in August 2008. Liz Childs is Director of Nursing and Governance & Deputy Chief Executive at South Devon Healthcare FT NHS Trust. Her career began in London where she trained as a general and children’s nurse. She has worked in acute hospital settings in London, Australia and across the South West, in a range of both professional and general management roles.
For the past two years the Trust has been working with the Institute of Healthcare Improvement and the Health Foundation on the Safer Patient Initiative Project designed to improve the quality and safety of clinical care. Liz has led the nursing workforce through the two year programme creating a culture within ward teams that promotes quality and safety through robust measurement and analysis of rapid cycle tests of change leading to continuous improvement.
Nurse director representative
Eileen Sills, Chief Nurse/Chief Operating Officer, St. Thomas' Hospital
Eileen joined the policy board in August 2008. Eileen has been in her current post at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust since January 2005.
She started her nursing career in 1983 and went on to specialise in Accident & Emergency nursing working her way up to a number of senior nursing/general management posts across London. She was appointed Director of Nursing in 1999 at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. Eileen received a CBE in the 2003 New Years Honours list.
Acute trust medical director representative
This post is vacant.
PCT medical director representative
Maureen Swanson, Medical Director, Western Cheshire PCT
Maureen joined the policy board in August 2008. Maureen worked as a GP in Cheshire for 15 years before moving into full time medical management in 1994. She was appointed as Medical Director to Western Cheshire PCT when it was formed in October 2006.
Maureen's main area of interest is the quality of the clinical care provided by General Medical Practitioners, General Dental Practitioners, Community Pharmacists and Optometrists. Maureen is a member of the policy board Primary Care Subgroup.
AHP/HCS Senior representative
Suzanne Rastrick, Director of Patient Care Improvement, Dorset Primary Care Trust
Suzanne was appointed to the policy board in August 2008. Suzanne qualified as an Occupational Therapist and began her career in the acute hospital sector, moving to practice in community and primary care in a general management role. In 2001 she became Clinical Services Director/Deputy Chief Executive of South and East Dorset Primary Care Trust and was one of the first AHPs to hold a substantive Primary Care Trust Director of Nursing post.
Suzanne was appointed to the post of Director of Patient Care Improvement for Dorset Primary Care Trust in 2006 and whilst holding the Board portfolio for Nursing/AHPs, is also responsible for medical performance matters. Her current remit ensures that services commissioned are effective and high quality and includes facilitating providers to develop new ways of work within the current contractual frameworks whilst demonstrating positive staff engagement. Suzanne is a member of the policy board Primary Care Subgroup.
SHA workforce lead representative
This post is vacant.
SHA chief executive representative
This post is vacant.
Special health authority senior executive
Ian Stone, Adviser to CMO England, HR Adviser to NCAS, National Clinical Assessment Service (NCAS)
Ian was appointed to the policy board in August 2008. Ian is currently leading work for the National Clinical Assessment Service on exclusion, suspension, disciplinary, capability issues and alert notices concerning doctors and dentists and other health professionals. He is also the Specialist HR Adviser to NCAS.
Ian joined the NHS in 1972 as manager of training for Guys Hospital and been an HR Director for 30 years. He was National President of AHHRM in 1998-9 (now the Health People Management Association). He is also a previous Chair of NHS Partners, an NHS in-house HR consultancy.
Finance director representative
Ian Hollows, Finance Director, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS FT
Ian was elected to the policy board in August 2008. Ian joined Moorfields Eye Hospital in London as Finance Director in March 2008, having previously served as a non-executive director and Chairman of the Audit Committee at Moorfields since December 2004.
He has over 30 years Board-level experience of major multinational companies as a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers for over 16 years and subsequently as a consultant to companies such as Lloyds TSB and ABN AMRO. His experience includes finance, risk and general management and a range of industries: energy, oil and gas, insurance, consumer and financial services. He is a graduate of the University of Cambridge, a chartered accountant and holds advanced qualifications in internal and IT audit.