NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland

and NHS Leicester City board members

In October 2010 NHS Leicester City and NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland joined forces to form a ‘cluster', in line with the requirements of the Department of Health. Although we share one Cluster Board and our staff work across the city and county boundaries, we have not legally merged, and retain our separate statutory duties. Together we serve a population of over a million people. Cluster formation is an interim stage in the reform of the NHS, involving ongoing transfer of most local commissioning functions to GP-led clinical commissioning groups, in line with the Health and Social Care Bill, now before Parliament.

The role of the chair and chief executive

The chair and chief executive share the leadership of NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland as well as NHS Leicester City.

The chair's role is to lead the board; making sure it effectively governs both primary care trusts in the cluster.

The chief executive's role is to lead the executive team in delivering the strategy and managing operational delivery.The chief executive is also the accountable officer to the chief executive of the NHS and parliament.

Cathy Ellis, chair

 

After graduating from Birmingham University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, Cathy joined PriceWaterhouse where she qualified as a chartered accountant.

Cathy worked primarily in audit with a wide variety of clients in manufacturing, utilities and financial services. Between 1993 and 2005 Cathy worked for Bass Brewers (now MolsonCoors Brewers) in finance, strategic planning, procurement and human resources (HR) where she was director of HR operations and latterly took a global role liaising with the US and Canada as director of HR organisational effectiveness. Cathy completed an MBA from Lancaster University in 2000.

Cathy joined NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland as a non-executive director in 2006. She has been vice-chair since 2008 and was appointed acting chair in October 2010. In July 2011 she was announced as the chair of the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) PCT Cluster. Cathy chairs the LLR Cluster Board and is also a member of the Leicestershire Together Commissioning Board, LLR Equality and Human Rights Board and East Midlands Strategic Health Authority Inclusion Board. 

Catherine Griffiths, chief executive

Following three years as director of commissioning at Birmingham Health Authority, Catherine led the successful merger of a community and a mental health trust to create South Warwickshire Combined Care Trust where she was chief executive.

Catherine then held the post of chief executive at South Warwickshire Primary Care Trust. She joined Leicestershire County and Rutland Primary Care Trust from a secondment role, working for David Nicholson as managing director of the West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority.

Catherine attained an MA in Medical Ethics and Law at Keele University in 2005.

Gill Bridgen - Non-executive director

Gill started her career as an art teacher in Leicester. She has worked in community education, youth work and on a support team for children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. After a short time working in the education department of Leicestershire County Council, Gill became the Community Safer Officer for Leicestershire, working with agencies to reduce crime, particularly violence. She held a national post in a Home Office unit that led on the reduction of suicide, self-harm and violence in prisons, until her retirement in 2007. She also enjoys contributing to city life, playing with Sambando, the performance group of Leicester School of Samba. Gill became a non-executive director of NHS Leicester City in 2006.

Barry Finan - Non-executive director

Barry is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Management Accountants. Over the last 20 years he has held a number of senior financial management and directorship roles in divisions of both Rolls-Royce Group plc (Aerospace) and Simon Engineering Plc. He spent most of his early career in British Leyland's commercial vehicle truck and bus division in Lancashire. He took early retirement from Rolls-Royce towards the end of 2009 in order to pursue opportunities in the public and charity sectors. Since then he has established himself as an interim finance director and since July 2010 has been working with Semta, the not-for-profit UK Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies. Barry became a non-executive director of NHS Leicester City in August 2010.

Paul Hackwood - Non-executive director

A Residentiary Canon at Leicester Cathedral, Paul is currently chairman of the Church Urban Fund, a national charity working with disadvantaged communities. He was previously Archdeacon of Loughborough and senior staff member in the Diocese of Leicester. He has extensive experience of social and community issues having worked previously as Social Responsibility Adviser to the Bishop of St Albans. He holds an MBA from the Bradford School of Management and a BSc in Behavioural Science. His main interests are in social theory and policy, particularly the development of partnerships between public sector professionals and community members. He became a non-executive director of NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland in January 2010.

Ruth Ingman - Non-executive director

Ruth is a non-executive director of the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce and held the office of President from 2008 to 2010. She is also is a non-executive trustee director of Leicester Charity Link and St Philip's Centre. She is also a director of Utilios Ltd, a company which specialises in tailored solutions in the field of HR and employment law, health and safety and governance for GP practices. Ruth started her career at the Bar in Birmingham, before entering employment with a consultancy firm in 1996 spending her time equally between Leicestershire and a London client base. Her first degree is in Law and she holds a Masters degree in Law and Employment Relations from the University of Leicester. In 2002 she established her own business in Leicestershire. She became a non-executive director of NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland in January 2010.

David Mell - Non-executive director

David spent 35 years with IBM in posts in technical sales and marketing in the Midlands, Manchester, London, Winchester and Paris. His most recent position was Chief Technology Officer for the telecommunications industry business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. His previous roles included European Systems Engineering Director. After retiring in 2005 he held a number of local and national positions in not-for-profit organisations. He is a Freeman of the City of London and of the Worshipful Company Of Information Technologists. He is also a Director of Belvoir Networking, a Community Interest Company whose aim is to bring the benefits of fast broadband to the Vale of Belvoir. He became a non-executive director of NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland in April 2009. 

Brian Wilson - Non-executive director

Following posts as director of finance for British Gas East Midlands and the retail division of British Gas, Brian held posts as interim director of finance of companies in several industry sectors. He is treasurer of Clockwise, Leicester's Credit Union; a non-executive director of Riverside English Churches Housing Group and treasurer of The Monday Club, a charity that works with clients who have autistic spectrum disorders. He is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. Brian became a non-executive director of NHS Leicester City in 2007.