"I am committed to working with others to improve services and speak out for present and future users and carers. I’m a Stopfordian born and raised, passionate about the NHS.
I’ve been active in my governor role and have visited many of the services provided by Pennine Care in Stockport including Healthy Young Minds and the eating disorders service.
During this time I’ve helped to organise and welcome people to Stockport’s ‘Big Celebration’ event on World Mental Health Day 2018, and I’ve participated in the Pennine Care ‘What Matters to You’ listening event.
Having been a carer I care very much about improving services for people in the communities where I was born and where we live. I would like to contribute to shaping the next few years of work at the Trust.
I’ve also been a senior manager in manufacturing both in Stockport and the North West.
My previous experience has enabled me to be an active listener, ask difficult questions and speak out for people.
I regularly participate in community events, I’m a member of Stockport Healthwatch and I have a particular interest in young people’s mental health, eating disorders, anxiety and depression."
"As Stockport councillor I was an appointed governor of Pennine Cares, and would now appreciate the opportunity to continue my work in an enhanced role.
Most of my working life was spent in teaching, some of it in the most deprived areas of London. As a result of my experiences there I took a university course in counselling. My work as a councillor, for 16 years has helped to improve my listening skills.
When I was a teacher, very little help was available for children with mental health problems and very little has changed since the nineteen-eighties.
The ‘Healthy Young Minds’ initiative and the extra funding which goes with it, has the potential to change all that and I relish the opportunity to be a part of it. The spin-off from this will, I think, benefit the whole community.
After taking early retirement I’ve done voluntary work as a Samaritan and a Citizens’ Advice adviser.
In my previous roles I have learned to speak up for people with problems. As a governor I am able to discover our residents’ issues and be involved in resolving them."
"I've represented Stockport as a governor with Pennine Care since it became a foundation trust in 2008.
I worked in a Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) as a Senior Practitioner/ASW in Stockport for 25 years. I wanted to bring knowledge, skills and expertise I acquired, to the role of governor.
As a governor I encourage people to become membersof the Trust, and work hard to develop opportunities for information to be shared and member's voices to be heard.
I participate actively and enthusiastically in meetings and development sessions. My aim is to ensure quality care for patients is high on the agenda of the board and that quality care is at the centre of any changes to services.
I’m currently the Mental Health lead for Healthwatch Stockport and link directly with Pennine Care to obtain information and to share concerns.
I’m an associate hospital manager and review renewals and appeals under the Mental Health Act to ensure that detention is appropriate and there is no less restrictive alternative. I volunteer at Crown Court in Manchester supporting witnesses in giving evidence.
Currently I am working part time at Tameside Hospital assessing patients referred with mental health problems, to ascertain the appropriate support required for their needs."
"With the recent re-organisation of Pennine Care into a dedicated mental health service I will continue to hold the Board to account for its actions.
I’m married with two grown up children, but my wife has been in long term care for eight years with front temporal dementia (FTD)
On behalf of the FTD carers group I am a member of, I’ve succeeded in obtaining funding from Pennine Care’s Charitable Foundation for a project to make a short video outlining the difficulties faced by carers in looking after their spouses/relations.
I’m also a director and trustee of Age UK Stockport, and a member of Healthwatch Stockport and the Dementia United task force - looking at early onset and rarer forms of dementia
I hope to further increase my understanding of mental health issues to add to my already considerable experience in this field.
Previously I was marketing director for an aircraft manufacturer based in South East Asia for 13 years; I’m a former executive councillor of Stockport Council responsible for finance, and former director of Stockport MIND."
