Announcing our new Healthwatch Rutland Board members
We have the great pleasure of welcoming:
Dr Janet Underwood (already a Healthwatch Rutland volunteer), who was originally a registered nurse and a patient advocate, and who also has a PhD centred on the NHS hospital visitor experience and is now engaged in healthcare policy and research.
Kirsteen McVeigh, who is a professional in Carers support, and is engaged especially in helping GPs in general practice in Leicestershire recognise and provide the support which Carers need, so a nice blend of health and social care.
Caroline Spark, who works in the Rutland County Council REACH team, and as well as a prior professional background in consultancy, Caroline brings the valuable insights of the REACH work and the breadth of coverage across the health and social care systems (and we will of course manage the potential conflicts of interest here).
Going forward we will have a very strong team of capable and bright people, who will do a fantastic job, with a great balance of professional health and social care experience, and all are Rutland residents.
As we planned, we’ll run with a Board of four whilst we re-set the new systems and processes and then look to expand again to perhaps six to eight members later in the year.
We will now be going through an induction process and are therefore planning the first series of new Healthwatch Rutland Board meetings.
Finally, as you may already know, Sarah Iveson left the employment of Connected Together CIC with effect from 31 May 2018, to pursue other career goals. We wish her well for the future, and thank her for her work to date.
Tracey Allan-Jones was appointed as Healthwatch Rutland Manager with effect from Monday 4 June; Tracey will be almost full time – 4.5 days/week. Congratulations to Tracey on this appointment.
We are now also actively seeking to recruit a new Healthwatch Rutland Officer, to support Tracey and based in Oakham, and again will be seeking to appoint on at least 4 days/week. Once this process is complete, the Healthwatch Rutland Office in Oakham will be open full time.
Please join me in welcoming the new team.
- From Professor Will Pope, interim Chair of Healthwatch Rutland
