Public governors

Nathalie Podder

London Borough of Ealing

I am a young woman of colour who is living with a life-long autoimmune disease in the Borough of Ealing. I arrived at Imperial College in 2015 to do my BSc in Physics and moved to Ealing in my second year. My condition went undiagnosed for many years, and I had to take many prolonged breaks from my studies; it was not until 2021 that I got my diagnosis, treatment and degree.

I became the full-time Deputy President (Welfare) at Imperial College [student] Union in 2021. In two years, I reviewed the culture of student-led groups, wrote the Union’s EDI Strategy, developed Imperial’s Mental Health Strategy, and represented the needs of vulnerable young people in the cost-of-living crisis to MPs and vice chancellors at the All-Party Parliamentary Universities Group. I was appointed as the student member of the Imperial College Council last year to oversee the development of strategic goals and ensure compliance with regulators. 

I have found purpose in championing the needs of disabled young people in the higher education space. I now aspire to do the same in healthcare by incorporating the views of the Ealing community into high-level decisions affecting crucial NHS services. 

Nigel Clarke (Lead Governor)

London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham 

I have just co-chaired the UK Commission on Pharmacy Professional Leadership for the 4 Chief Pharmaceutical Officers of the UK, which was published on 6 February, having just completed two terms as chair of the General Pharmaceutical Council, the regulator for pharmacy. I invest in, and advise, start-up companies, many of which are spin-offs from universities, mainly in the healthcare sector.

Having lived in the borough for over 40 years, and been an occasional patient at the hospital, I felt that I should actively support its work. I am keen to support the best possible use of medicines and the skills of the pharmacy team as part of the best possible care for patients.

Simon Mansfield

London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

Bio to follow.  

Jerry Folkson

London Borough of Hounslow

Bio to follow.  

Parvinder Singh Garcha

London Borough of Hounslow

I consider myself to be blessed to be commencing my 42nd year in the NHS. The 'S' in the NHS is of prime importance to me, as I am committed to service. I am passionate about bringing about improvement in healthcare for everyone, by better engagement, partnership, and collaboration between patients, healthcare staff, ancillary staff and managers.

I have lived locally in Hounslow since 1988; I have been a GP in Hounslow for over 30 years, and feel that I know the local area well. I have also been able to serve our community in various roles as a charity trustee, school governor, and board member of CCG. My family and I have been patients at West Middlesex at one time or another.

Richard Ballerand

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

I am an Axolotl partner with a background in finance and defence, and significant advisory and board experience in the public, private and charity sectors. My current health policy portfolio includes lay roles with: NICE (National Institue for Health and Care Excellence), NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research), HDR UK (Health Data Research), RSM (Royal Society of Medicine), and EIT Health (European Institute for Innovation and Technology). I also hold a number of fellowships, and serve on a range of advisory boards. All this tends to keep me busy, but I find it fulfilling.

I wanted to put my enthusiasm, knowledge, and experience of international healthcare to good use in this excellent (and improving) flagship Trust. After having travelled the world in various capacities, I have lived for most of my life in the Royal Borough, and wanted to pay forward into a system that is facing difficult times ahead. I have a special interest in those with invisible disabilities and deficits, in the challenges facing the ex-military, and in community members with a non-standard background.

Nina Littler (Deputy Lead Governor)

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

During a career in finance spanning many years, I was managing director of a global company advising public and private sector organisations on risk management. I was also involved in people strategy and diversity. I then ran my own business and became a published author. Since retiring several years ago, I have been a very regular volunteer at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Besides day-to-day support of patients and staff, I developed our Youth Volunteer Programme.

I have been a resident of Kensington and Chelsea for 30 years and during that time my family and I have been patients and regular visitors to the hospital. I have always been inspired by the professionalism and kindness of staff, even in the most challenging of circumstances. As a volunteer I have worked on inpatient wards, in outpatient areas, in A&E, and on COVID-19 wards during the pandemic, which has allowed me to see day-to-day patient care first hand. As a governor I am committed and determined to ensure we maintain and improve the quality of care our patients receive. 

I am also passionate about encouraging people from our community, particularly young people, to consider careers in the NHS or to support our hospitals in other ways. As a governor, I hope to build on the work I have done as a Senior Volunteer to encourage more local people to get involved with our Trust.

Maureen Chatterley

London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames

I am a retired IT Business Analyst who has been involved as a volunteer with the Patient Group at my Twickenham GP Surgery for nearly 10 years. I represent the surgery at the Network of GP surgeries in the Borough, and we look at proposed changes to give feedback and highlight any shortcomings in services that have been identified, along with good experiences from patients.

Richmond Borough has no hospitals and is part of South West London NHS development area. West Middlesex Hospital is in the West London development area and sits just outside the Richmond Borough boundary. It is valued by many Richmond residents and is their hospital of choice – definitely mine.

It is therefore key that Richmond patient interests are represented at West Middlesex Hospital to ensure continued access to a caring environment that gives timely and the best quality care.

My role as a Governor will not only provide continuity to my work in the GP surgery, but would allow me to become involved and continue looking after patient and staff interests.

Nara Daubeney

London Borough of Wandsworth

Stuart Fleming

London Borough of Wandsworth

I was governor of Sussex University Trust from 2012–21, rated outstanding by the CQC. I am very much “hands on” as a governor, I have volunteered at hospitals during the pandemic and busy times, and take the time to get patients opinions. I was active on committees, disabled rights and LGBT+, striving for equality. Having ran my own business, it has grown through hard work, vision and re-investment. I am well placed to be a strong contact for the members and public.

My experience encompasses working for Mencap where I facilitated a campaign called “Treat me Right”, raising awareness of learning disabled patients in the NHS. Following this campaign, hospitals have been mandated to appoint a lead nurse for these patients. I have been a Registered Manager with CQC 2006–09 for The Queen Elizabeth Foundation. I am skilled, taking an overview and working from budget ensuring that the business is as efficient as possible allowing maximum re-investment, benefiting patients and staff. I am keen to promote information technology’s positive benefits within the NHS.

Now London based, I have enjoyed meeting many other passionate foundation members, patients and staff. I truly believe that I have much to offer and would be delighted to work with the Trust. Most importantly, I am a positive person, I always take an interest in individuals, their opinions and their experience of the service matters. I will hear and act on the patients voice always!

Cass J Cass-Horne

City of Westminster

As a Senior NHS Health Advisor, I have personal experience and knowledge of NHS services. I was elected previously as a Patient Governor at the Trust from 2009–12. During that time I played an active role in driving up standards of care and increasing the membership of both sites when the two trusts joined. I became a Governor because of my first-hand experience of care received at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital as a patient. I bring a unique perspective to the NHS as a patient having worked in numerous health services abroad. During this, I experienced how hospitals can tailor their services better for the communities they serve. My combined experience in HR, non-executive advisory roles and NHS Health Advisory will be invaluable as a Public Governor. I believe members of the public and patients visiting the NHS should be treated equally, fairly and with respect. Viewpoints of the public and patients are very important and help Governors making informed decisions. In my previous role as a Patient Governor I worked with commitment and dedication to represent patients. 

As a Public Governor, I pledge I will represent Westminster residents' opinions with the same enthusiasm. I will contribute and ensure that all persons are able to access services at our Trust. I am a strong believer in the NHS.

Jo Winterbottom

City of Westminster

I’ve been a volunteer at Chelsea and Westminster since 2019. I am a responder—a role I love—which takes me all over the hospital doing a variety of tasks from pharmacy runs to helping patients through discharge. I enjoy meeting staff and patients, hearing about their experiences and trying, where I can, to lend a hand.

My career in journalism with Reuters news agency spanned over 20 years during which I lived in and wrote about countries around the world, including Italy, India, the United States and South Africa. News reporting brought me the chance to engage with people from diverse backgrounds on a wide range of issues and to understand different points of view.

I stopped work in 2018 and am now fortunate enough to have the opportunity to try to help others facing harder times. I am a trustee of Host Nation, a charity that links refugees to local friends, and I also volunteer with organisations including Age UK, Guide Dogs and the Access Project which aims to support students through GCSE and A levels. But I also have time to indulge my cultural curiosity through volunteer roles at the Royal Opera House and the National Portrait Gallery.

I stood to be elected as a governor with the Trust because I want to help shape the future of its hospitals to benefit staff, patients—and volunteers! I have come to know many of the staff at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and seen their great work: nurses on busy wards, porters taking patients to scans and X-rays, pharmacists getting prescriptions ready, catering staff coping with the daily logistics of giving patients hot meals. I’ve met many patients, whether for a long chat when they are lonely or for the briefest of moments as I help them find their way to phlebotomy. I would like to ensure that this broad range of voices is brought into the Trust’s decisions and that everyone involved in the hospital feels valued.

Ras I Martin

Rest of England

I am currently in my final year studying Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at the University of Oxford. I am a student ambassador for the university’s pioneering foundation year, which looks to redress the balance for disadvantaged students compared to their more privileged counterparts. As well as this, I am the United Kingdom’s sole delegate for the Commonwealth youth parliament. 

Growing up in Hammersmith and Fulham, I had many experiences going to the hospital, from A&E to long-term health conditions. Chelsea and Westminster made this time as pleasant as possible. I want to ensure other people continue receiving as good of, if not a better, experience than I did. My motivations for this role are two-fold: one, to represent the patients and particularly its underrepresented groups (young people and working-class individuals), and two, to learn. Those of us from a working-class background tend to have the least connections to people who can impact our hospital experience. I want to be the change I wish to see and offer a voice to other working-class people. What is unique about my candidacy as governor is being a young person. We must represent the issues of all people in hospitals, which means making space for young people. Having represented the United Kingdom at the 2022 commonwealth youth summit as its sole delegate, representation and youth advocacy are things I am familiar with. The NHS has such an important place in our country and in all of our lives, I would love to learn more about how it works, and there is no better way to learn than getting stuck in.

Vacant

• London Borough of Richmond upon Thames x1