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Press release: NHS Employers announces new policy board members

28 Aug 2008

NHS Employers, which represents trusts in England on workforce issues, is delighted to announce the election of ten new members to its policy board, along with a new chair and two new vice-chairs.

The policy board, made up of 27 members, steers the policy agenda for NHS Employers and helps to ensure that the work and views of NHS Employers reflect those of the NHS.

In May, the policy board elected Simon Pleydell to take over as chair when John Rostill's term ends in December. Simon is chief executive of South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust and has been a member of the board since its inception in December 2004.

The board has also elected Jim Birrell and Danny Mortimer as its two vice chairs. Their terms of office begin immediately. Jim is chief executive of Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Danny is director of human resources at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The new members are drawn from a range of NHS organisations and professions. The policy board's ten new members are:

• Liz Childs, director of nursing and quality at South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Joanna Cubbon, chief executive at Taunton and Somerset Foundation Trust NHS
• Denise Harnin, HR director at Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
• Ian Hollows, finance director at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Lorene Read, chief executive at Weston Area Health NHS Trust
• Suzanne Rastrick, director of patient care improvement at Dorset PCT
• Eileen Sills, chief nurse at Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
• Chris Stocks, HR director at Sheffield PCT
• Ian Stone will represent special health authorities and works at the National Clinical Assessment Service
• Maureen Swanson, medical director at Western Cheshire PCT

Sian Thomas, Joint Acting Director of NHS Employers, said:

"Our policy board has an instrumental role in setting the policy agenda for NHS Employers and helps to make sure that we are truly representative of NHS trusts on workforce issues.

"The new members have been elected from across the service and come from a broad range of backgrounds and roles so are able to fully represent the different organisations that make up the modern NHS.

"Along with our chair and vice-chairs, they bring a wealth of experience and expertise to NHS Employers and we look forward to working with them."

Notes for editors

Notes for editors

1. NHS Employers represents trusts in England on workforce issues and helps to ensure that the NHS is a place where people want to work.
2. For more information on the policy board please visit www.nhsemployers.org/aboutus/involvement-634.cfm
3. For a full list of policy board members please visit http://www.nhsemployers.org/aboutus/involvement-635.cfm

Contact details

The press office provides a comprehensive service to keep journalists informed about the work of NHS Employers.
If you have a media enquiry, please contact the press office team:

Julia Toft
0207 074 3260 or julia.toft@nhsemployers.org
Georgina Vincent
020 7074 3308 or georgina.vincent@nhsemployers.org
For out of hours media enquiries, please contact the duty press officer on 07880 500726.

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