Mike is a qualified accountant and ex NHS Finance Director who has operated for thirty years at, or near, board level in the NHS and also held nation-wide roles as FT Director within Monitor and the Department of Health.

Since 2004, Mike has been assessing and supporting boards in developing fit for purpose governance arrangements so that they are able to operate as autonomous and effective organisations. Mike’s extensive and broad experience of the NHS allows him to offer support and insight into ensuring that organisations have effective corporate, quality and financial governance arrangements in place and also has significant experience in relation to financial planning/management and performance/risk management processes.

Mike is a freelance associate and has been a key member of the NHS Providers Board Development Programme for a number of years delivering training across our full programme of modules, receiving very positive feedback scores and comments.

Mike is one of the lead advisors on the development and delivery of the Board development programme's content. Mike is involved in the development and delivery of bespoke development programmes for individual boards. Mike also delivers on the following core modules:

• Effective chairing of meetings

• Effective challenge

• Effective report writing

• NHS finance for senior leaders

• NHS performance management for NEDs

• Risk management.

Natalie has worked in senior board-level roles within operations, human resources and organisational development, and transformation in public sector, not-for-profit and manufacturing.

Natalie had a lead role in the acquisition of Scarborough by York Hospital in 2013 and has been part of an award-winning team who developed new approaches to workforce issues including health care assistants and advanced clinical practitioners. Natalie has more recently been a chief executive, overseeing the transformation and turnaround of Locala Community Partnerships, a provider of community health services, following a concerning CQC inspection.

Natalie now works independently as part of McMillan & Associates Ltd and continues to offer expertise and support around complex workforce issues, change management and leadership. Natalie is an experienced OD practitioner with several years as a qualified coach and is passionate about people being at the heart of the decisions and innovations we make.

Natalie is one of the lead advisors on the development and delivery of the Board development programme's content. Natalie is involved in the development and delivery of bespoke development programmes for individual boards and senior leadership teams. Natalie also delivers on the following core modules:

• Effective challenge

• Executive director induction

• Non-executive director induction

Anne has a background in nursing and was previously the Chief Nurse at NHS Digital, she has more than three decades of experience working across the NHS. Anne also works in the private sector as a director in a consulting company that provide services to the NHS primarily in the area of health informatics. Anne also runs a leadership programme for women who work in the technology sector. Anne has been a non-executive director in the NHS since 2018 and as part of her role she is the Senior Independent Director and chair of a second tier board committee.  

Anne's interests include the use of technology in health services, leadership and she is passionate about ensuring patients/service users have the best experience of the health system.

Anne delivers on the following core modules:

• Effective chairing of meetings

• Effective challenge

• Executive director induction

• Non-executive director induction.

Brian works in the private sector as an independent consultant primarily in the global automotive sector. In the NHS he has been a non-executive director since 2002. For nine years Brian was Chair of the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and is currently NED and Chair of Audit at Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust and a Specialist Advisor with the CQC.

Brian’s industrial experience includes global business development, managing businesses in UK, Czech Republic and Portugal and development of a major automotive division of a UK plc. He has established of a number of international strategic alliances in a range of countries including Brazil, Mexico, Israel, Romania and Turkey. In the education and training sector, Brian is Module Lead and co-wrote the HFMA Diploma in Advanced Primary Care Management - Personal Effectiveness and Leadership postgraduate module. He is also an associate lecturer at the Open University formerly on the Mary Seacole Programme and currently Practice Tutor for the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship. Brian has an MBA from the University of Bath and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (FCMA) and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Brian is one of the leads for the content and delivery of the NHS finance for senior leaders module. Brian delivers on the following core modules:

• Effective chairing of meetings

• NHS finance for senior leaders.

Gillian is an experienced NHS corporate governance professional, specialising in working with and supporting NHS foundation trust boards and council of governors. She is a passionate advocate of good governance practice to ensure compliance with legal, constitutional, and regulatory requirements within NHS organisations.

Gillian hold a master’s degree in Economics and the Chartered Governance Institute’s Advanced Certificate in Health Service Governance. Gillian is also an ILM qualified coach, delivering a coaching approach aimed at valuing individuals within a positive and supportive environment.

Gillian delivers on the following core modules:

• Effective recording of board and committee meetings

• Effective report writing.

Gilly is a Cambridge graduate, holds an MBA from Warwick Business School and has qualified in Enterprise Risk Management with the Institute of Risk Management. Gilly's 25+ year career history spans academic, managerial and consultancy positions within the private and public sectors whilst developing specialisms in corporate governance and risk management.

Over the past nine years Gilly has worked on a wide variety of consultancy assignments predominantly for public sector and not-for-profit organisations, helping management evaluate and improve their ways of working. She is well versed in NHS governance and risk management, having supported a number of trusts to improve their risk management systems, corporate and divisional governance processes, and board assurance arrangements. As a freelance consultant, Gilly delivers board level workshops, staff training, advisory and practical support. She is also an associate with AuditOne as a member of their Well Led Development Review team.

Gilly’s board experience is in the charitable sector and after five years as a trustee, she now chairs the Board of Trustees at Citizens Advice Cheshire West where she has been involved in developing a new strategy and leading culture change.

Gilly delivers on the following core modules:

• Effective report writing

• Risk Management.

High-impact contributor with extensive experience in a range of disciplines including risk management, organisational strategy, business turnaround, boardroom management and finance. A well respected professional with considerable expertise in advising organisations in the private and public sectors. John is currently a Strategy and Risk Advisor to a number of organisations and a Master Trainer for the Institute of Risk Management (UK) and the GCC Board Directors Institute (UAE) globally.

An out-of-the-box thinker with proven ability to devise wide-ranging solutions for resolving complex business issues including stakeholder disputes, risk management framework issues, financial restructuring, business turnaround and crisis management. John has extensive experience in a broad range of industries across the world including Financial Services, Energy, Public Sector and Charities / NGO Sector.

John recently advised a number of Financial Institutions on Conduct Risk and Operational Resilience as a Fellows of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants and drawing from his 25 years banking experience in a range of executive, board and non-executive positions.

John is one of the leads for the content and delivery of the Risk for NHS Risk Practitioners course. John delivers on the following core modules:

• Risk for NHS Risk Practitioners.

A proven chairman with an outstanding record of achievement in substantial and complex organisations in the health, housing and education sectors in both public and private enterprises. In 2004 Linda was appointed Chair of Somerset Partnership NHS Trust and led the turnaround and authorisation process that resulted in Somerset Partnership achieving Foundation Trust status in May 2008. In August 2011 Linda led the completion of the acquisition of another £90 million health service organisation. Subsequent to Sompar she became Chair of NSCP; a social enterprise community health provider for North Somerset until April 2020.

Chair of Knightstone Housing Group in June 2017 Linda led the board to merge with Devon and Cornwall Homes in March 2018. Linda took over as Chair of the newly merged LiveWest Homes Ltd, with turnover of circa £250m, and a portfolio which includes 37,000 homes across the South-West and an ambitious new build programme. She is also currently Chair of King’s Schools, Taunton; a group of independent schools in Somerset and the Middle East, Linda continues to use her skills and experience in a non-executive capacity as Trustee and Chair of Audit on the Board of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Linda has proven success in leading the development of strategy and achieving results whilst understanding the importance and components of appropriate governance infrastructure and controls to support risk management and the implementation of forward plans. She is also a qualified practising performance/executive coach.

Linda delivers on the following core modules:

• Effective chairing of meetings

Louise joined NHS Providers as a Member Development Manager in November 2021. Prior to this, Louise had an NHS career spanning almost 30 years, 15 of which were at a senior management level. Louise holds a masters degree in mental health law, policy and practice, and post-grad qualifications in healthcare governance. During her NHS career, Louise led on a range of corporate governance functions, working alongside Board members and governors. 

Since joining NHS Providers, Louise holds a varied portfolio of work, which includes the provision of training on both the Board and Governor development programmes, predominantly our ‘Effective board’ offer and Core Skills for governors.

Louise delivers on the following core modules:

• Effective recording of board ad committee meetings

• Effective report writing

• Working with governors.

Lynda has over 26 years experience of working in the NHS, part of which was as a Head of Corporate Governance and Legal Services/Company Secretary. During this time, Lynda has taken minutes for all levels of meetings from team and department level to Board/Governors and partnership meetings.

Lynda worked on various elements of the acquisition of Scarborough & North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust by York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust getting involved with the Cooperation and Competition Panel responses and working on the development of strategies with corporate and clinical departments. 

Lynda is interested in effective governance and streamlining processes which simplify areas, but also retain the level of corporate detail required. Lynda is now the Chair of Governors for a local Primary School, chairing both the full Governing Body and the Business and Resources meetings.

Lynda delivers on the following core modules:

• Effective recording of board ad committee meetings.

Madelaine is an experienced governance and assurance specialist. She has operated at board level in the NHS and  other regulated public sector services for 20 years as the board senior governance adviser. She is a qualified assessor of quality management systems and holds a postgraduate qualification in healthcare governance. She is experienced in assessing and supporting organisations against relevant regulatory and quality standards. She played a critical role in securing the merger of two NHS trusts.

Madelaine now works independently offering expertise and support on governance, board assurance and compliance as well as undertaking developmental well led reviews.

Madelaine delivers on the following core modules:

• Effective challenge

• Effective recording of board ad committee meetings

• Effective report writing.

Pamela spent nearly 20 years with BP, latterly as chief executive of Duckhams Oils, before moving across to the public sector. She has gained extensive chairing experience in the health, housing, children’s & older people’s services and higher education sectors.

In health, Pamela chaired the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust for eight years before going on to serve as Mayoral Advisor to Boris Johnson for Health and Families in his first administration. Pamela served as Chair of Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust from June 2012-2016. She has been leading training on governance for the past decade. In addition to working with NHS Providers, Pamela is currently a non-executive director, and chair of the Audit and Risk committee, at the Ministerial Board for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. She also was appointed Chair of Council at the University of Bath in 2019.

Pamela delivers on the following core modules:

• Effective chairing of meetings

• Executive director induction

• Non-executive director induction

• The chair's role in developing an effective unitary board.

Paul is a skilled leader, facilitator, consultant and coach, who draws on his wide experience of working in and with a range of organisations. His career has spanned the third sector (e.g. Age Concern and Action for Children) and the public sector (e.g. Derby & Derbyshire Primary Care Trust, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, where he is currently Chair having just entered his second three-year term), and is complemented by his provision of consultancy services to many national, regional and local organisations, and by his one to one coaching support for leaders.

Paul is passionate about helping get the best from individuals and the organisations within which they work. He applies this passion in work on governance, leadership, involvement, strategy, and planning, whilst always focusing on service users, equality and diversity.

His background as a trained facilitator and group worker combined with his career in leadership and strategic development brings breadth to his consultancy. A keen writer, Paul blogs about his perspectives on aspects of leadership, governance, and equality, as well as his interest in music and food!

Paul delivers on the following core modules:

• Effective chairing of meetings

• Effective challenge

• Executive director induction

• Non-executive director induction

• The chair's role in developing an effective unitary board

• Working with governors.

Paul has spent over 30 years in policy, governance and executive positions across the civil service, regional development agencies and the NHS. A graduate of the Nye Bevan Executive Healthcare Leadership award, his roles have included working in private office with several Ministers, Trust Secretary, Foundation Trust Project Director and Lay Trustee and Chair of a students’ union. Paul retired in 2022 from the role of Director of Corporate Affairs at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, with Board level responsibility for corporate governance, communications, patient experience, volunteering and the Trust’s charity.    

Paul delivers on the following core modules:

• Effective chairing of meetings

• Effective challenge

• Effective recording of board and committee meetings

• Effective report writing

• Working with governors.   

Peter has 42 years of NHS experience, the last 15 years as a Trust Secretary, he is a former Chair of NHS Providers’ Company Secretaries Network. Peter has undertaken secondments to provide governance support to other NHS trusts. 

Peter is a registered nurse and has a master’s degree in Health Policy and Organisation. Retiring from his full-time role in 2022, Peter is now an Associate with NHS Providers and a Governance Consultant for some NHS trusts. 

Peter is a volunteer with St John Ambulance where he maintains his clinical skills, contributes to national strategy, trains volunteers and line manages around 4,000 volunteers. He has delivered training, across the public and charitable sectors, in a wide range of leadership, clinical and governance subjects over the past 40 years, and contributes to local charitable work as a Rotarian.

Peter delivers on the following core modules:

• Effective chairing of meetings

• Effective challenge

• Effective recording of board and committee meetings

• Effective report writing

• Non-executive director induction

• Executive director induction.

Rob has worked with senior levels of staff across multiple sectors from critical national infrastructures to finance to the national health service. This has led to a rare blend of experience, skills and knowledge capable of influencing and improving enterprise-wide risk management performance.

In his current role, a major focus of Rob’s experience has been around developing and embedding enterprise-wide risk management frameworks, upgrading operational risk management capabilities, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of risk management target operating models and enhancing relationships with regulators and key market stakeholders.

Rob has worked closely with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) to help LTHT mature its Board-level risk management capabilities. In support of the LTHT’s Board, he worked on upgrading LTHT’s risk management framework, including helping them develop a common risk language, setting a Board risk appetite and embedding the risk appetite into Board-level decision making.

By way of his continuing professional development, Rob is a certified fellow with the Institute of Risk Management and International Compliance Association.

Rob delivers the following core module:

• Risk appetite  

Sophie is a governance and risk specialist with 16 year’s experience supporting a broad range of organisations in both the private and charity sectors. Her particular interest lies in acting as a change agent to support organisations with low maturity to develop their governance, risk and compliance frameworks. She has worked both as a management consultant, and within in-house risk functions, so understands how to balance best practice theory with practical implementation.  

Sophie currently works at a healthcare charity where her focus is on developing the risk management framework and providing assurance to the Board so that they are sighted on the key risks, and understand how well these are being managed. She also volunteers as a Trustee at Nordoff Robbins, a music therapy charity, where she brings her governance and risk management experience to support both the Finance Committee and Board of Trustees.

Sophie delivers on the following core modules:

• Risk management.

Suzy Brain England OBE C Dir is the Chair of the Board at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust. Suzy is a Chartered Director and Lead Examiner for the accreditation at the Institute of Directors. 

Suzy has been a non-executive director and Chair in NHS settings for more than 20 years. She is a former Lay Chair for Health Education England, a regional lay assessor for the Clinical National Impact Awards and is a Trustee on the Board of the NHS Retirement Fellowship. 

Suzy supports director development in a number of sectors as a mentor and workshop chair. Suzy Brian-England is a Board trustee for NHS Providers, completing a 6 year term in Spring 2023.

Suzy delivers on the following core modules:

• Executive director induction

• Non-executive director induction.

Tim Cooper is Chair of the West Midlands Imaging Network. He is also a member of the Quality Standards Advisory Committee for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Tim has held a number of senior leadership roles in the healthcare sector including Head of Hospital Inspection for the Care Quality Commission (CQC), National Lead for Radiotherapy and Director of the Quality Review Service.

Tim's clinical professional background is a therapeutic radiographer. He was awarded Fellowship of the College of Radiographers and membership of the Royal College of Radiologists in 2014. Tim is also a Trustee of the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund, making a positive difference to lives affected by cancer in Shropshire. He graduated from the University of York with a master’s degree in Leading Innovation and Change.

Tim is one of the leads for the content and delivery of the NHS performance management for NEDs module. Tim delivers on the following core modules:

• NHS performance management for NEDs.