As a local resident for more than 15 years and a Mum of four children, I know the Chelsea and Westminster hospital well. My family and I have experienced its excellent professional medical care, including during the joy of giving birth.
Being a governor is a great opportunity to give something back to the hospital for everything from which my family and I have been so lucky to benefit. I am a pharmacist and I come from a family with a deep interest in improving people’s health. My father and grandfather are both doctors in Medicine. I have a deep passion for patient care. I believe my professional background, combined with my personal experience as a patient, a daughter and a mother, could contribute and help the Trust deliver and execute successful long term plans, helping medical professionals to deliver the best clinical care for patients within the financial budget. Being a Governor will be a privilege. It is a great opportunity to be involved, to support and influence the strategic objectives for a Trust in which I so passionately believe, with a strong focus on patient needs.
Ian Dalton
The reason I put myself forward as Governor was to in some way say ‘thank you’ to Chelsea Westminster for the safe arrival of my children, as well as my own experience as a patient. I am hugely grateful to everyone involved and for the care received, and I hope to be able to offer something back.
Professionally I have long been involved in the area of public health. I currently work at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on global health issues, work closely with the World Health Organisation and I am currently a Board Member of Unitaid (the WHO’s ‘health innovation’ partner). And before this I held roles at the UK’s Medicines Agency (the MHRA) and other international institutions working on issues related to human health.
I also have long-standing links to the area (as far back as university) and understand the importance and standing of the Trust in the community. It is a genuine privilege to become a Governor and to support such important work.
Christopher Digby-Bell
I am an award winning lawyer, businessman and disability rights champion. I have won recognition for my work from UNICEF, Liberty, Justice and the Lord Chief Justice. My youngest son William is severely disabled so I understand the vital importance of good healthcare. I have been a trustee of charities like Scope and Contact a Family and a governor of a special school. I am a trustee of Victim Support and the Law Society Charity.
I want to give back to the hospital to benefit its patients and staff. I understand the concerns of nurses having represented a nursing agency providing staff to the NHS. I intend to use my skill and experience as a lawyer to be an effective voice for patients.
Simon Dyer
My professional background is in Pharmacology and Medical Research. I was formerly Clinical Research Manager at The Royal Marsden Hospital and Senior Research Manager in the Directorate of Health & Social Care for London. For the last 13 years I have been working in the Department of Health and have more lately been responsible for a part of Emergency Preparedness in the Department.
I put myself forward as Patient Governor as I am a firm believer in the NHS being run by the people for the people and am a regular user of Chelsea and Westminster services, in the Kobler Centre. I am passionate in the drive to improve public health and improve healthcare when a visit to the hospital is necessary. I share the values of openness, honesty and integrity in my professional and personal life.
Minna Korjonen
I am a professional working in education and the consultation field, and volunteering in our communities across the borough.
My passion lies with those most vulnerable—disabled, children and elderly. These people have always been the driving factor for me. That passion has taken me to represent them to various committees and boards in both health and social care and housing sector locally and nationally—and now extensively as a Governor of the Council of Governors of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. I have advocated and represented vulnerable people for the past years and together we have achieved improvements and changes to the services, also ensured their voice is heard around the tables where the decisions are made. This work continues, and I warmly welcome you to participate in my team—please get in touch with me via the Board Governance Manager at 020 3315 6716 and you are in! And also have your say and input to your and other people’s care and services in our hospitals and its clinics.
Stella Macaskill
I became a patient governor so that I can represent the members and our local community. I live in Ealing and want to contribute to the future development of the Trust and to support the continued delivery of high quality care that is accessible to everyone in our community. I am passionate about improving public understanding and engagement with health services and raising the patient voice. I am also a Patient Safety Partner and will work with patients, families and staff at the Trust to influence and improve safety.
I became a volunteer at West Middlesex University Hospital in April 2020. I volunteered because I wanted to support my local hospital and its staff through the unprecedented difficulties of the pandemic. Since then I have worked in different volunteering roles and have worked in the volunteering hub where I supported the future development of the service by recruiting new volunteers. I was honoured with a PROUD award in recognition of my contribution. Through my volunteering I have developed a deeper engagement with the Trust, its staff and the future opportunities and challenges.
I have worked in the NHS for eight years and as a Director in Medical Royal College for 12 years. My specialist experience includes postgraduate and continuing medical education, workforce planning, professional standards, accredited clinical guideline production, quality improvement and patient safety. I also bring leadership skills and a knowledge of strategic planning, governance, recruitment, communication and influencing. I have board level experience and was Governor at an Academy school in Ealing until 2019. I am currently a lay representative for Health Education England and a member of the Board of Trustees at The CHIRP Charitable Trust (The Confidential Human Factors Reporting Programme for Aviation and Maritime). I run my own business and I am studying for an MSc. in Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors.
My passion for this Trust and the patient voice combined with my professional skills means that I aim to be a great ambassador for patients and for the Trust.
David Phillips
Many years in public relations and advertising. Now semi-retired and an associate lecturer at the University of the Arts, London.
Over the years I have received first class treatment at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. I have seen it expand into the excellent and patient-friendly hospital it is today. I am aware of the enormous financial pressures it is under like so many NHS trusts and the impact that can have on services. I am determined to see the high standard of patient care is maintained and where necessary, improved and that the hospital continues to provide an excellent service to patients in the widening community it serves.
