Governor's Personal Statement

I have had the honour of serving as public governor for Amber Valley South for almost three years. As you will know the Trust has had much adverse publicity: though not undeserved this has, I have felt, tended to overshadow the great work that has throughout been done for and with those who have needed our help (and their families). Derbyshire Healthcare has more than ninety clinical teams in the field and it has been my privilege to visit more than half of them to learn first-hand about their work and observe their enthusiasm. I have lived for most of my life in Amber Valley. I went to school in Belper where I worked for thirty-seven years as a GP. The Trust has always, of course, been in partnership with other organisations and this is now more obviously a necessity than ever in the past. I have observed how the Trust is always trying to work more efficiently while striving to improve its services. I have attended public meetings in Heanor and Belper where local services have been discussed. Attendance at Board meetings has shown how the complex organisation evolves while maintaining the human touch. I have felt that my local connection has helped me as your representative on the Trust's Council of Governors of which I have been lead governor in the past year. Governors have become better informed, better trained and more effective in their role of representing the public interest and holding the Trust Board to account.

Governor's Personal Statement

Carole started her working career as a midwife and spent over 20 years working in the industry. She has been a volunteer in a national youth organisation for over 40 years and she also has 35 years experience in school governance, gaining transferable skills that she hopes will enable her as a governor to be a critical friend, challenging the Trust to deliver a caring, compassionate and efficient mental health service

Governor's Personal Statement

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Governor's Personal Statement

Martin moved to Derbyshire 12 years ago. He is passionate about the NHS and would like to keep it as it is whilst helping to improve the services provided to the general public. Whilst Martin lived in Doncaster he set up a garden centre and landscape business and during this time he helped to set up a hospice centre with the local MP. Martin was a Branch Secretary for AUEW Engineering Union for 27 year and was also member of Doncaster Royal Infirmary, and Chair of Governors at three senior schools.

Governor's Personal Statement

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Governor's Personal Statement

Lynda's area of expertise is that of business management, administration, logistics, accounts and customer service. Her role included being an NVQ Assessor. Part of her responsibility was that of internal quality assurance, therefore, she is acquainted with the standards required within the workplace. Having taken early retirement from her lecturing post, Lynda now has sufficient time to collaborate with patients, carers and staff to work towards an increase in public satisfaction.

Governor's Personal Statement

I am a person of lived experience in mental health. I also run two mental health self-help groups, Rethink MASH and Rethink Good Companions. The aims of the group are to promote wellbeing and to avoid admission to acute inpatient mental health units by keeping “well”. I also serve on the Diocesan Mental Health Steering Group for the Church of England. I hold the Bishop’s badge for services to mental health. I am also well known throughout the county as a Mental Health Activist. I featured in The Derbyshire Times last September, campaigning against people on benefits paying Council Tax. There are many mentally ill people on benefits, mental health being the largest cause of disability. I bring my experience to the Council of Governors, and will “tell it as it is” from a patients point of view in order to improve matters.

Governor's Personal Statement

I am good at listening to others, then taking forward concerns to create change. Having a service which meets the needs of service users is critical to me, and to the longevity of the service. I have worked for 20+ years in Housing for a central London Local Authority and three Housing Associations so have experience of leading and training teams as well as delivering support. As a volunteer I have experience of organising successful events which over 13,000 customers and involved 250+ volunteers over 10 days. I am therefore able to work at many levels and bring a balanced package of knowledge with me. I moved to Chaddesden in 2010 having lived previously in Northern Ireland, London and the Isle of Wight. I have experience of the superb service provided at Derby Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and have been a member of Derby’s Carer’s Hub. When my daughter was at primary school I was part of the Parent Teachers Association and spent time assisting children with their reading ability. I like to get involved and improve things for everyone.

Governor's Personal Statement

I said to you three years ago, I will not stay silent until Derbyshire's needs are met. Since then I have been proactive as a governor during difficult times, such as when our most senior managers betrayed the Trust through failure to follow due process and lost an expensive Employment Tribunal. I researched what should have happened, and be happening, and was one of the most informed and outspoken governors during this process. I continually seek information to assure myself that the Trust's processes and best practice are now being followed and have been thorough and fearless in questioning. New challenges lie ahead. Government is asking for savings across the NHS and told Trusts to work together and share services. Negotiations are going ahead for us to merge with Derbyshire Community Trust. This makes sense as both work across the whole of Derbyshire and our mental health and community children's services can benefit from services from one provider, if merging is handled properly. MH continues to be underfunded; waiting times long and services not available but following my repeated requests governors met with the CCG's chief executive and made clear what we expect for MH. We need to ensure that in a merged trust MH, the biggest service provided, gets the priority and funding it needs. Governors can work towards this and I would like your vote for Derby City West as I am in a good position to make this happen. Feel free to contact me at any time.

Governor's Personal Statement

I would like to be able to use my previous work and experience with the Trust to help involve and engage with both members and the wider public about the health and wellbeing of the people we serve. I have been involved with the Trust for over nine years as a carer, ambassador, volunteer and membership champion. I have attended over 60 public, stakeholder and carer events over the years and I continue to support membership engagement within the Trust. I have recruited almost a 1000 public members to the Trust and I have built up a positive and productive relationship within the community. I am aware of the huge challenges facing the NHS and that clinical care is at the centre of everything we do.

Governor's Personal Statement

I have a diverse knowledge off supporting people with learning difficulties, physical disabilities along with mental health in which I have too experienced myself. My role as support worker, working for Mencap was supporting individuals to lead as independent a life as their condition allowed, enabling them to reach their full potential which is of great importance. This was achieved with consistency, care, respect and above all else empowerment. Never two days were the same and I had a sense of achievement that I found to be personally rewarding, knowing I was helping to make a difference in their day to day lives. Unfortunately at the end of January 2013 my mental health took a downward turn and I had no choice but to finish doing the job I loved. Now that I’ve given you a little insight to what kind of a person I am I hope I have given you enough confidence in me being your governor with the Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and trust is what I give to you. I hope you share the same inspiration as me to allow me to help make changes where needed by speaking up for you no matter what the situation may bring.

Governor's Personal Statement

I am a Post Graduate Engineer with businesses management experience. I also have a great interest in health and at a personal level practice Yoga and Meditation. After retirement, I have become a Therapist and offer help with Mental/Emotional and Body level issues. Through MacMillan, I have completed a course to support patients and families affected by cancer. I am actively contributing to the following charities: - The Long Eaton and District 50+ Forum – as a Treasurer - Gujarat Samaj, an Ethnic charity (Indian Gujarati community) – as a Committee Member and Assistant Treasurer. In the past, I have served as a Trustee on the Board of Nottingham Counselling Services. I believe that more can be done in the preventive side of health. Education and early help can prevent manifestation of serious diseases and health problems.

Governor's Personal Statement

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Governor's Personal Statement

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Governor's Personal Statement

Throughout my life I have been honoured and privileged to represent residents of South Derbyshire for over 35 years including within that period the Mining Industry as a full time trade union official, Local Authority as a District Councillor (19 yrs) as well as serving for several years on the South Derbyshire Community Health Council. I have been a Board member of several charitable organisations and believe I have the commitment, discipline, skills and knowledge to further serve South Derbyshire residents. I am a firm believer in the NHS and do not accept the break up and selling off of profitable sections of the service, if you want someone to fight for the continuation and improvements to the NHS please consider voting for me, if you are agreeable and support the privatisation of the NHS, then I am not your man. Thank you for taking the time to read my election statement.

Governor's Personal Statement

Rosemary would like to use her dual experience as a service user and mental health professional to help achieve the best possible mental health care for the people of Derbyshire. Having received excellent care within the Trust for the past 15 years, she would like to give something back. Rosemary is also setting up a fund to assist individual service users in their recoveries.

Governor's Personal Statement

I have worked in the Trust since 2010 as a trainee and now as a Speciality Doctor in one of the Trust's busy inpatient wards and I've seen many changes in that time, some good and some not so good. I believe the Trust is working hard in very challenging times to provide the right services for the people of Derbyshire, and I would like to represent the voices of medical staff at a strategic level as we continue to develop and improve. As a long-serving BMA representative I have experience in gathering and expressing colleagues? views in some tricky negotiations, and believe I can do this as a Governor. The highest priority for our Trust is providing safe, compassionate care for patients, and we have to do this in an environment of ever decreasing resources. As a Staff Governor I would aim to provide a clinical perspective from the experience of doctors throughout the Trust to help us to decide where to put our resources and how to structure services.

Governor's Personal Statement

April is passionate about recovery; to enable and empower patients to take control of their life and wellbeing. She would like to make positive changes for the people she cares for and the team she works within, through her role as a staff governor. April is an experienced Senior Occupational Therapist working in the community

Governor's Personal Statement

I have over 22 years NHS experience, having worked in estates and facilities, management, clinical, administrative and corporate roles. I believe my diverse, career history can benefit me in the role as staff governor, as I have a clear understanding of the issues that affect all staff. I am passionate about the NHS and about providing the best possible patient care. I am a firm believer in the Trust values and am always striving to make improvements within the Trust. I consider it a privilege to represent my colleagues within Admin, Corporate and all Support Services.

Governor's Personal Statement

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Governor's Personal Statement

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Governor's Personal Statement

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Governor's Personal Statement

I am a registered general nurse, registered mental health nurse, community mental health nurse and health psychologist. I worked in mental health for many years within in-patient settings and community settings, in both the NHS and in the military as an Army Officer. Areas of experience are acute psychiatry, both NHS and Military, care of severely mentally ill older people, management of forensic mental health services and drug and alcohol services, management of large community mental health services for military personnel and their families (both in UK and Germany), and operational tours of Bosnia responding to psychological trauma, as well as dealing with general military mental health issues. I came into Higher Education in 2002, and have served in many teaching and management roles prior to becoming Dean of College. In every area of my work I am committed to promoting and facilitating the highest quality of care for individuals, families and communities in our region, and I work hard to ensure all health care professionals we educate are caring, compassionate, competent and committed to their role and those they care for.

Governor's Personal Statement

I am one of the appointed governors for the voluntary sector. I have worked in a variety of roles in voluntary organisations for thirty years, and have been Manager of Derbyshire Mental Health Forum for seventeen years. Previously I worked in Community Transport and Councils for Voluntary Services. In my current role I support a range of mental health and non-mental health charities across Southern Derbyshire, including Derby City, and represent their interests to commissioners and other statutory and private services. Our membership is 67 organisations but we also provide information through Forum News bulletins and Mental Health Awareness training to a much wider range of people across all types of organisations. Over the years we have supported our members to work more closely with DHCFT in areas such as advocacy, training, patient and carer representation and race equality. I am a member of the Co-ordination Group for Mental Health Together run by the local Healthwatch, which supports patient and carer involvement in planning. I also sit on the multi-agency Suicide Prevention Partnership Group and work closely with Derbyshire Public Health on other prevention and lifestyle services that improve people’s mental health and wellbeing. I am a member of the Joined Up Care Derbyshire’s STP mental health programme group and wish to support them to provide more meaningful services to people close to where they live. I have lived and worked in Derbyshire all my life (apart from a brief time ‘over the border’ in Eastwood, which as a Derby County supporter I prefer not to dwell on!) I am therefore very passionate and committed to ensuring that mental health services meet the needs of our local communities.

Governor's Personal Statement

I have been Derbyshire Voluntary Action’s (Formerly NDVA) Mental Health Liaison Worker since 2005. My role is to represent and support voluntary sector service providers and user led organisations across the north of Derbyshire. I am pleased to have been appointed as a DHCFT governor. I am particularly interested helping DHCFT to foster close links and partnerships with all providers to ensure the best possible services for the people of Derbyshire.

Governor's Personal Statement

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Governor's Personal Statement

Dr Gemma Stacey qualified as a mental health nurse in 2004 after completing the undergraduate Master of Nursing program at the University of Nottingham. She went onto work for the Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust in a range of recovery orientated community servicers. In 2006 Gemma commenced a part time research post at the University of Nottingham which involved managing an action research project exploring service user involvement in the assessment of student nurses in practice (SUSA). She has gone onto implement and evaluate a range of educational initiatives centred on lived experience. This complements Gemma's doctoral research interest in the socialisation of student nurses and the educational factors which influence the development, maintenance and expression of person centred values. She is the leader of the Critical Values Based Practice Network who conduct research into this area along with an explicit focus on the perception and influence of power and hierarchy amongst professional groups. Gemma is currently employed as an Associate Professor in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham where she is the Lead for Graduate Entry Nursing.

Governor's Personal Statement

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