Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale governors

Profile coming soon.

I have lived in Heywood and Rochdale for 56 years, and will represent the community with passion and commitment. I will dedicate whatever time is needed to do my best.

I grew up and went to school in Heywood, my children went to school in Heywood and we now live in Rochdale. Following an engineering apprenticeship I worked as a project manager and then later in management. I have been volunteering for 10 years. I currently volunteer with schools, one is a special needs school and I see and understand the challenges in accessing support for mental health, learning disability and autism.

I also understand the governance in use and believe I can be an important and effective link with our community.

I am enthusiastic and passionate about better healthcare for all. My own experience of NHS services is that staff are committed and caring. But I feel the system needs to improve and I hope to gain more knowledge about these challenges from working as a governor here. I hope to play a valuable role in helping shape the services our community needs.

I also have a lot of experience of governance and accountability through my work in industry and also through volunteering as a trustee for 3 years. I’m not afraid to question, challenge appropriately and speak up where necessary to represent our needs.

I am extremely passionate about amplifying the voice of patients of the NHS services making it equitable with equality across the whole of the NHS by utilising my lived experience.

Using various services across different disciplines of primary and secondary care, I want to build resilience and advocate on behalf of communities. For over 9 years I have been a lived experience consultant with the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership. I am a member of the Greater Manchester Equality Alliance, on the board of Trustees for Action Together and Independent Mental Health Network.

I understand the impending changes within Integrated Care Services. I believe that a balanced understanding of commissioning priorities and transitional changes to bring care into the communities is imperative, in order to ensure sustainable co-production and sustainable changes.

I want to bring a non-clinical voice of reason and perspective for better decision making.

For the past few years, personal health issues have afforded me ample opportunity to experience at first hand the expectations and some difficulties encountered by patients.

My career was as a secondary school teacher culminating in a headship of an inner city school serving a largely immigrant area. There were a significant number of children with learning difficulties and the mental pressures that teenagers from socially deprived backgrounds experience over examinations, future career prospects and their life chances.

After retiring, I worked part-time as a teacher-trainer.  For sixteen years, I was also a governor of a secondary school.

My leisure activities include watching various sporting activities, writing poetry, painting, gardening, caravanning and camping, the theatre and I am a member of my local church.

I hope to assist the NHS in being as understanding and caring as possible and to draw upon the experience of the excellent work of the service, particularly during the present pandemic.  I believe my experience will help me to assist in maintaining and furthering these noteworthy achievements.

I am a good communicator; can easily understand issues and I find empathy is a sound quality in understanding the concerns of others. I am committed to the welfare, health and happiness of all and would encourage others searching for answers to the issues that beset so many.