Trust Board

The Trust Board is the organisation’s governing body. It comprises the Chairman, Non-Executive Directors, the Chief Executive and Executive Directors (senior staff of the hospital). Collectively they take corporate responsibility for the strategic development and actions of the organisation.

Trust Board meetings are now open to the public and held on the first Tuesday of every month.

• Board Register of Interests (March 2011)
• Calendar of Meetings & Board Papers
  

Board Profiles:

Chairman
Dr Jeffrey Ellwood

Retired following a long career in marketing chemicals and pharmaceuticals and several years as a company chief executive. Also a local magistrate and former chairman of the council of Brunel University.

Chief Executive
Jean O'Callaghan

Former Chief Executive of Bedford Hospital NHS Trust, which she joined in September 2005 from New Zealand where she was Chief Executive of the Canterbury District Health Board.
Bedford is an acute district general hospital with 408 beds and 2,400 staff. Under Jean’s leadership the hospital moved from a financial deficit to surplus position and from a ‘weak’ rating in the Annual Health Check to ‘good’. The hospital won a National Health and Social Care Award for capacity planning in 2009 and is now meeting all key targets. Jean is a nurse by background and has extensive experience in managing change. She is a strong advocate for open communication and is committed to quality patient care.

Vice-Chairman
Roderick Knight

Formerly Head of Dorset's Adult and Community Service, now retired. Previously a member of the PEC of a Local Primary Care Group. Has worked for DoH on various projects and was national lead for Directors of Social Services Dementia Care Group. Was Board member of the National Inquiry into Mental Health In Old Age. Was an assessor on the National Review of Mental Health provision. Currently on the Board of a local housing association and director of an independent primary care company.

Non–Executive Director
Peta Turnbull

A commercial finance director who has held senior positions with major UK and US companies. Has worked across Europe as well as North and South America. Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, BA (Hons) Durham University.

Non-Executive Director
Peter Knell

During a first career in the Army, specialising in finance, IT, HR and corporate governance, Peter gained substantial experience of organisational development, programme management, business planning and managing risk within large organisations. He is currently the Business Director at Wells Cathedral School and a director of Haruki Consulting Ltd. Chartered Director and Fellow of: Institute of Directors, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, Chartered Management Institute and a Chartered IT Professional Fellow. BSc(Hons) Informatics, MA Strategic Human Resources and MSc Information Management and Technology.

Non-Executive Director
Tracey Peters

An experienced HR professional. Former HR and Tenanted Estate Director of Hall and Woodhouse Brewery Group in Blandford, former Non-executive Director for the National Probation Service. Non-executive of the Signpost Housing Group. MSc in HR Development; Postgraduate Diploma in Personnel Management; Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Non-Executive Director
Dr Peter Camm

A Fellow of the Royal College of Radiology, who commenced employment at Dorset County Hospital in 1971. During his consultant career in addition to his radiological duties, he had a number of managerial roles, including Medical Director. He has also chaired the Medical Staff Committee and the Wessex Medical Advisory Committee. Retiring from full time employment in 2007 and committed to the Foundation Trust, he was elected as one of our first Public Governors, before being elected as Lead Governor. Dr Camm is also involved in some voluntary work, including Arts in Hospital and Dorset Kidney Fund.

Non-Executive Director
Professor Jane Reid

A nurse by profession, Jane has extensive experience as an executive lead in the NHS and Higher Education. A past President of the Association for Perioperative Practice and formerly Nurse Advisor to the National Patient Safety Agency and the World Health Organisation, Jane has successfully led a number of national and international initatives, focussed on patient safety improvement. In addition to her role as Non Executive Director, Jane is a Fellow of the Safer Care and Improvement Faculty at the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, Researcher Queen Mary's London and Visiting Professor to Bournemouth University.   A widely published Nurse Academic, Jane now combines a portfolio of research, education and reviews, providing independent advice in support of  innovation and service improvement in the NHS.

Director of Finance and Resources
Bill Boa

An experienced financial manager with significant board experience in a wide range of NHS sectors and a proven track record in financial recovery.

Former Deputy Director of Finance at NHS South West, has led the financial recovery of two challenged organisations in the region.

Has strong links with networks within the NHS nationally, in the South West and within Dorset in particular. Was responsible for the development of the NHS South West financial strategy and financial planning in the short, medium and long-term, and contributed to national policy through the National Strategic Health Authority Directors/Deputy Directors of Finance meetings.

Medical Director
Paul Lear

Paul qualified from London University in 1975.  Following further periods of training in the Midlands and in Boston, USA, he was appointed to his first consultant position in 1988, at London’s St Bartholomew's Hospital, London.  In 1991 Paul moved to Bristol to practise as a specialist vascular and renal transplant surgeon, from where he has also worked closely with the renal service at Dorchester for the past fifteen years.  Paul was the inaugural Clinical Director of Surgery at the newly merged Frenchay and Southmead Hospitals (now North Bristol Trust) and maintained this role for ten years.  Although he formally retired at the end of 2010, he retains a small transplant commitment in Bristol.  Paul came to the Trust as the Divisional Director for Surgery, a role he will continue to combine with his Medical Director appointment until a suitable successor is identified.

Director of Nursing and Quality
Alison Tong

Wide experience and track record of improving standards of care and patient experience through developing leadership at the bedside.  Has worked in a variety of acute hospitals across the UK including two large teaching hospitals. Proven track record of improving infection control practice and patient safety initiatives.  First level registered nurse with a specialist qualification in orthopaedics, BSc (Hons) in Health Studies, qualified Neuro-Linguistic Practitioner and graduate of the NHS South West Top Leaders programme (2010) for aspiring Chief Executives.

Director of Workforce and Human Resources
Mark Power

Mark came to DCHFT from Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust where he was Deputy Director of Workforce and HR and Head of Workforce Performance and Information.
Mark is an experienced HR professional whose record of achievement covers all aspects of HR and organisational development activities. This experience has been gained through a range of challenging roles within the NHS, the private sector and the Royal Navy.  Mark holds a Masters Degree in Human Resource Management, is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Member of the Chartered Management Institute, and an external examiner for the University of Portsmouth Business School.

Director of Operations
Patricia Miller

Patricia holds a Masters degree in Health Care Management from Manchester Business School, and is a graduate of the East of England Aspiring Directors Programme. She has worked for the NHS for over 18 years and was a member of the senior management at Bedford Hospital NHS Trust where she worked for nine years: her last role there was as Interim Chief Operating Officer. She has led a range of innovative and successful initiatives to improve patient safety and quality and has a proven track record in turning around hospital departments in financial difficulty, without impacting on service provision.