HEALTHWATCH NORTHUMBERLAND BOARD MEMBERS
Members of the Healthwatch Northumberland Board bring their experience and expertise in the health, social care and voluntary sector to the table, and are here to make sure your voice is heard. The board’s role is to provide strategic direction for, and oversight of, our work. The board has authority and responsibility to make strategic decisions with regard to all aspects of Healthwatch Northumberland’s work.
As part of this, the Healthwatch Northumberland Board is responsible for:
- Ensuring the elements of Healthwatch Northumberland are meeting their aims and are carried out in an inclusive and equitable way.
- Receiving and responding to reports from Northumberland Health and Wellbeing Board, Healthwatch England and other relevant strategic bodies.
- Staying informed regarding strategic developments in health and social care at both a county and a national level.
- Working constructively to improve health and social care services in Northumberland.
Peter Standfield
Peter has enjoyed a varied career that has included 20 years of military service, over 14 years in the NHS and ten in the private sector, where he has experience as both a Chief Executive and Management Consultant.
He now divides his time across a portfolio of roles. Along with Healthwatch Northumberland Chair this includes Chief Executive of Abbeyfield Northumbria – a charitable provider of sheltered housing and residential care, and a public appointment as Chair of the North East Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee. This is an advisory non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Defence to provide independent and apolitical advice about issues affecting Armed Forces veterans across the North East.
A keen amateur musician, Peter completed two terms on the Regional Council of Arts Council England and served on the National Council in 2010/11. He has a long-standing interest in lifelong learning and currently chairs the advisory board for a Durham University College and is Chair of Trustees for the Kielder Observatory Astronomical Society.
Our previous Vice Chair, Margaret Young has now left the organisation following six years in the role. We are in the process of appointing a new Vice Chair and will add details as soon as we have someone in post.
Sue Taylor
Sue worked at executive level in the voluntary sector for over thirty years and retired in 2019 after 20 years as Chief Executive Officer of Sight Service - the leading voluntary sector service provider for visually impaired people in the north east of England.
Having also recently retired from her post as Chair of Healthwatch South Tyneside, Sue is now is on the board of Healthwatch Northumberland, and is a resident of Northumberland.
For all of her professional life Sue has championed the needs of visually impaired people, working at local, regional and national level, and now is continuing this through her work with Lions Clubs International where she is regional and national lead for Vision/Sight.
Mike Allport
Mike lives in north Northumberland where he worked in education for most of his career until retiring 15 years ago.
His work as headteacher of an outdoor education centre took him around most of the county and he became aware of how large and sparsely populated it is.
This led Mike to joining his GP surgery’s Patient Participation Group at its formation. Mike says "My time spent as a member of the group has strengthened my awareness of the difficulties many users of the health service face in rural communities and the need for them to be included in county-wide planning".
Liz Prudhoe
Liz is the Director of Adapt (NE), a role which she undertook in 2002. She has since been instrumental in the development and growth of the organisation, including supporting Northumberland LINk and now Healthwatch Northumberland. In 2012 she won the North East woman entrepreneur of the year award in the Best Social Enterprise category for Adapt (NE).
Liz hopes that her role as a board member for Healthwatch Northumberland will enable her to put effective lines in place between a community voice and commissioners and providers. Her vast experience leading organisations to achieve goals for the local community makes her instrumental in the development and success of Healthwatch Northumberland.
Gillian Robinson
Gillian worked for over 30 years in the education sector, in main stream schooling and then in Further Education at Northumberland College. Gillian held various posts at the college including Director of Commercial Development at Kirkley Hall. She has also undertaken consultancy work for the charity Azure, been a Leadership and Management Advisor for Northumberland Business Services Ltd and was Head of Operations for Age UK North Tyneside.
Gillian has always championed services for young people and more latterly care of the elderly when she worked for Age UK. Following retirement she served as a board member for Age UK Northumberland.
Having spent her personal and professional life in Northumberland Gillian understands the demographics of the county and the challenges faced in providing care services in both rural and urban areas.
Gillian says "I’m delighted to join the Healthwatch Northumberland Board and to be working with the staff team to promote the needs of fellow Northumbrians.
Debra Blakey
Debra is CEO of Carers Northumberland; a charity providing information, advice and support to unpaid family/friend carers across the county. Having worked for the charity in various roles for over 10 years Debra became CEO in 2018.
Debra say, "I have worked in both private organisations and the public sector but I have to say, working in the voluntary sector is by far the most rewarding if also the most challenging. I have always lived in Northumberland and love the county.
I understand the issues and challenges that living in and working across such a large geographical and rural area brings. I would like to see carer issues recognised at all levels of health and social care provision and believe that the close partnership working with Healthwatch Northumberland strengthens the aims and objectives of both organisations."
Denise Robson
Denise is an Assistant Service Manager for North of Tyne PALS (the Patient Advice and Liaison Service). PALS is a free and confidential, NHS advice service for patients of all ages and their families and carers. The service covers all NHS organisations and services in North Tyneside, Northumberland and Newcastle (including the North East Ambulance Service).
Having worked for Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust since 2009 in various roles, Denise became an Assistant Service Manager for PALS in 2017.
Denise has had the joy of living in Northumberland for 35 years but can appreciate the issues and challenges that living and working in such a large geographical area can bring.
Denise says "I’m delighted to join the Healthwatch Northumberland Board and to be working alongside the other board members to support the people of Northumberland."
Caroline Rogan
Caroline joined the board in 2022 and brings with her a wealth of experience as the Chief Executive of Northumberland Community and Voluntary Action (NCVA).
NCVA provides expert advice, training and information to help the community, voluntary organisations and charities to develop and succeed. It also provides a voice for the voluntary sector and helps to build partnerships.
Caroline says “I enjoy working with Healthwatch Northumberland and offering my own experience and insight into a wide range of services in the county to help support the people of Northumberland.”
