The 2024 governor elections are now open!
Representatives are being sought for the following areas:
- Blackburn with Darwen – one seat
- South Cumbria – one seat
- Staff constituency (medical) – one seat
Governors are elected for a three-year period, with the opportunity to stand for re-election for a second and final three-year term.
What does a Governor do?
- Represent the views of staff, patients and the public, particularly in relation to the Trust’s strategic direction and when services are being developed.
- Hold the non-executive directors to account for performance of the Board of Directors.
- Annually review the extent to which the Trust is meeting its vision to provide the best mental health, learning disability, autism, and community-based services for the populations we serve.
- Work with the Board of Directors on other matters for the benefit of the Trust.
Nomination
If you would like to become a governor, please use the online governor nomination form.
The deadline for people to nominate themselves is midnight on Monday 4 November 2024.
You can find more about the Council of Governors further down this page. You can also find more information about being a member of LSCft here.
If you have any questions or require more information, please company.secretary@lscft.nhs.uk
Governors
The Trust currently has a Council consisting of 27 governors: 16 elected public governors, seven elected staff governors, and four nominated governors. We currently have five Public Governor vacancies.
Nominated governors are those appointed by the Trust's partner organisations and key stakeholders. Currently represented by Lancashire County Council (LCC), University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), N-Compass and Age UK (Blackburn with Darwen).
The role of the Council of Governors is to hold the Board of Directors to account for the performance of the Trust and be representative of the views of the membership and public.
The staff and public members of the Council are appointed by democratic election and serve for a period of three years. A governor may be re-elected under those same democratic processes for a further and final term of three years. There are five staff constituencies across the full range of professional and support disciplines and roles and all staff members are eligible to stand for election as vacancies arise in their constituency. All vacancies are widely advertised to staff and staff members are invited to vote in the election process.
The Council of Governors have a responsibility to declare all relevant interests as defined in Section 18 of our Constitution.
Meet the Governors
Steph Holmes
First term: 01/02/2019 to 31/12/2021
Second term: 01/01/2022 to 31/01/2025
Steph was born and educated in Blackburn, but has lived the last half-century in Darwen. Before she retired, Steph had a varied career as an electronics designer, inventor, ICT manager, and teacher/lecturer. She is now heavily involved in the VCFSE sector, starting and running the award winning Chrysalis Transsexual Support Groups, which offer support and advocacy within the many strands of the NHS, the Police and justice system, the education system, and employment services amongst many others, and incorporates a third party hate crime reporting service. Steph is passionate about supporting young people, working closely with children’s services, and sees education as the primary driver towards greater understanding of trans, giving workshops and presentations countrywide to surgeries, hospitals, schools, councils, and more.
Steph's voluntary roles are many and various and include: at Lancashire Constabulary she is Chair of the East IAG and a member of several teams; she sits on the scrutiny panel at the Crown Prosecution Service; is an Associate Lecturer at UCLan; and is a trans policy consultant for education and business. Steph hopes to bring a different perspective to mental health services having been involved as a service user and advocate.
Hamad Saleem
First Term: 01/02/2019 to 31/12/2021
Second Term: 01/01/2022 to 31/01/2025
Hamad was born into a medical family, with his late father being a GP in the area. Hamad is a pharmacologist and studied locally doing his MSc hons in Medical Sciences. He has worked in pharmaceuticals and has worked in the care sector too. He is passionate about health and is a director of a mental health company. He has vast experience in mental health. He is a huge fan of holistic therapies. He wants to revisit old relationships within Lancashire to make a stronger approach to improving the Trust's working partnerships with local resources.
Mohammed Sidat, MBE
First Term: 01/02/2022 to 31/12/2025
Director of Operations, IMO Charity. Mohammed is the founder of the IMO Charity in Blackburn. The IMO Charity was started in 2006 to help support disadvantaged young people and their families in Blackburn. Mohammed was made an MBE in the Queen’s Honours list in 2020 in recognition of his charitable services to the community.
Zacky Hameed
First Term: 05/01/2023 to 04/01/2026
Bio to follow.
Sadiq Asmal
First Term: 05/01/2023 to 04/01/2026
Sadiq was born in Preston and continue to reside there with my family. Sadiq is happily married with two sons and a daughter and has a strong passion for improving our NHS. In 2015, he worked closely with PMS and helped raise over £38,000 to help buy life-saving equipment for Royal Preston Hospital. He is aiming to develop stronger links between the Trust and the local community, and wants to bring the community together to help address the needs of local hospitals. Sadiq is keen to make use of his previous experiences, such as when he set up and constructed a charity hospital, to help his colleagues in achieving shared goals.
David Hargreaves, Lead Governor
First Term: 01/02/2020 to 04/01/2023
Second Term: 05/01/2023 to 04/01/2026
David was born, raised and educated in Walton-le-Dale, Preston before moving to live in Cottam, Preston with his wife and young family. David is a Senior Executive in a large multi-national engineering company in Lancashire, having started as an apprentice 25 years ago and performing a number of varied engineering and management roles to date. David has also been a small business owner in the local area for many years and more recently has become a business mentor supporting small and medium businesses nationwide.
Having had several family members utilise the Trust’s community services, David has a keen interest in improving these services within the Lancashire and South Cumbria area. David has a particular interest in the Trust’s digital, transformation and estate planning agendas and believes his experience working in both large corporate industry and small businesses will help him to fulfil his role effectively as an NHS governor.
Peter Higgins
First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027
Peter recently retired from a long career in Director and Chief Executive roles working with doctors and health care professionals to provide the best services to their patients. Most recently he worked with GPs and their practices across Lancashire and Cumbria.
He has worked in all sectors of healthcare, from front line day-to-day services through to specialist regional services, hospital and primary care services, physical and mental health services. In his role as a Governor, Peter would like to encourage and facilitate greater understanding and integration between the professions and between health and care organisations.
Peter has always wanted to champion the cause of people trying to get the healthcare they need, and knows from personal experience with family and friends how complex it is to navigate your way through the various components of the health service and allied agencies. As a Governor, he would like to represent the people of Central Lancashire, feed in their views and represent their interests as the Trust develops its plans for the services it provides.
Claire Hounslea
First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027
Claire was born and raised in Ormskirk and has lived in North Preston for over 25 years.
She has significant healthcare experience in operational and performance management based roles in both the NHS and private healthcare organisations across the North West of England. The role of Governor will provide her with the opportunity to draw on her skills and experience, add value and give something back to the community in which she lives and works.
Claire believes strongly in delivering high quality safe care to patients, whilst recognising that there is a need to drive efficiencies and ensure value for money. Through her role as Governor, she is keen to ensure that there is greater openness and involvement for staff and patients in any proposed service delivery changes.
Anita Murray
First Term: 05/01/2023 to 04/01/2026
Anita was born and raised in Preston leaving for university in West London with a formative year in France both studying and on work placement but it was her UK placement in the oil and gas logistics role that led to her twenty year career, which also included two years working in Norway and visiting many countries for business and leisure.
Whilst in London she was an avid fencer and won the Middlesex novice trophy and university try colours. Since returning to Preston she has been the West Lancashire area manager for a poker league, in which she has won several trophies, and a couple of Badminton ones too.
Her other hobbies include exploring the outdoors walking, hiking and camping.
Mark Hindle
First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027
Mark lives in East Lancashire and is a Public Governor for East Lancashire. His working career of 45 years was spent working in the NHS. The majority of that time was working within Mental Health services. Mark is focussed on seeing people with Mental Health and Learning Disabilities get the best support they can with the resources available. This includes ensuring that as many people as possible receive treatment in Lancashire and where possible are not transferred out of area.
Sobia Malik
First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027
Sobia was born an brought up in Burnley, where she was a Local Councillor. Currently she's a Lancashire County Councillor representing Burnley Central East. Sobia is a former additional Ofsted inspector and her work in education over the last 20 years has reinforced her commitment to the mental health of young people including those with learning disabilities. Sobia is also a qualified therapeutic councillor. She recognises the social impact of the voluntary sector and runs a charity in Burnley offering welfare rights advice with wellbeing services to people in socially disadvantaged communities. She ensured the charity base was accessed as a vaccination site at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to support our NHS. She is particularly interested in the Trust's transformation, people and wellbeing work and believes her experience in counselling, education and politics, working within communities, will support her LSCft Governor role.
Michael McFarlane
First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027
Bio to follow.
Asher Ayres, Partnership Organisation
Head of Services at Carers N-Compass
Asher is a Senior Manager with over 10 years experience managing in the non-profit sector. Asher's experience includes managing Carers, Mental Health, Heath Training and Health and Wellbeing Services.
Jez Buffin, Higher Education
Deputy Head of the School of Social Work, Care and Community at the University of Central Lancashire.
Jez has a background in law, social work and education and qualified as a social worker in 1991. Jez has worked in the fields of substance misuse, mental health, homelessness and learning disability in both the voluntary and statutory sectors. Since coming to the university (initially on secondment) in 2000, Jez has specialised in using strengths-based, participatory and community engagement methodologies to develop and manage programmes of work with a range of diverse and 'hard to reach' communities including:
- Black and minority ethnic groups
- Faith groups, including Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist groups
- Refugees and asylum seekers
- Roma people
- Lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered groups
- Travellers
- Older people
- Offenders
- Mental health service users
- Substance misusers
- People with learning disabilities
Jez has managed several large scale national programmes of work on behalf of the Department of Health and the Home Office, and has worked with regulatory bodies including the Care Quality Commission and the General Medical Council.
Vicky Shepherd, Public Health and Wellbeing
Chief Executive at Age UK Blackburn with Darwen
Vicky's career to date has been spent in the voluntary sector starting in community development. Vicky has over 20 years’ experience of developing, delivering and managing services for older people at a local and regional level and currently chairs the Age UK National Network Services Development Committee focusing on quality, innovation and collaboration. Vicky represents the voluntary sector on a number of strategic boards including the Safeguarding Board, Health and Wellbeing Board and within the Pennine Lancashire Integrated Care Partnership structures. Vicky is also a trustee of two other local charities which focus on supporting people in the community with additional support needs.
Sue Whittam, Public Health and Wellbeing
County Councillor at Lancashire County Council
Sue lives in Fulwood and is married with two children, two step-children and three springer spaniels.
Sue's background is in Local Government having spent 28 years working for Lancashire County Council and the Environment Agency. Sue is a member of Preston City Council and Lancashire County Councillor for Preston Rural Division (Lead Member for Health).
Steven Gratrix
Second Term: 22/05/2023 to 21/05/2026
Bio to follow.
Dr Jill Hemmington
First Term: 08/01/2024 - 07/01/2027
Jill was born and grew up in Burnley and she now lives in North Lancashire. She is the course leader for Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) qualifying and post-qualifying training at UCLan and she continues to practice as an AMHP. Jill is also a Quality and Education Inspector (AMHP and BIA) with Social Work England and Specialist Member to the First Tier Mental Health Tribunal where she sits on appeals against detention under the Mental Health Act.
Jill has completed a PhD with research involving power, communication and shared decision-making in Mental Health assessments. She is a keen advocate of co-produced research, relational approaches and allyship with people with lived experience of mental distress. Jill is also a Trustee of ISPS (International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis) UK.
Natallia Robertson
First Term: 08/01/2024 - 07/01/2027
Bio to follow.
Sue Denford
First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027
Bio to follow.
Colin Ranshaw
First Term: 01/02/2022 to 31/01/2025
Colin was a registered Pharmacist for 40 years and worked in both Hospital and Community Pharmacies also within Academia and the Pharmaceutical Industry. Colin has been involved at senior level with many major NHS changes in my previous roles as a Hospital Consultant Pharmacist, Chairman of the Welsh Executive and Council Member of The Royal Pharmaceutical Society. Colin has chaired professional organisations and working committees at Local and National levels.
Colin is currently the Chairman of South Lakeland Hydrotherapy Ltd (Sandgate Hydrotherapy Pool, Kendal) and has been a Trustee of Cumbria County Volunteering Services for over five years (presently Deputy Chairman). Colin was a Public Governor at Cumbria Partnership NHS FT and whilst at University Hospitals Morecambe Bay NHS FT held the role of Deputy Head Governor and subsequently Head Governor.
Outside of ‘Health’ Colin is a Trustee of Stricklandgate House Trust, South Lakes Citizens Advice and Sunderland University Alumni where he was Chairman of the University of Sunderland Students’ Union (2014-2019) and held an appointment as an Honorary Professor at the School of Pharmacy at Nottingham University (2014-18).
Colin was honoured with the award of Fellowship of the University of Sunderland in 2019 (his alma mater).
Mark Wilson
First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027
Mark Wilson was previously a Headteacher and Social Support Worker. In 2013, he was elected as County Councillor for his local area. He then became a Governor of North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust in order to gain more knowledge in relation to the factors that affect all of his residents. As a Governor of Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, Mark is enthusiastic about NHS and healthcare developments which have occurred since the pandemic and is looking forward to the new age of digital health.
Candace Bedu-Mensah, Corporate Services Constituency
First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027
Bio to follow.
Joseph Cawley, Nursing Professions and Support Staff Constituency
First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027
Bio to follow.
Angela Layton, Administrative and Clerical Constituency
First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027
Angela has worked for the NHS in the area of Mental Health for over 10 years, and over 3 years as a Medical Secretary here at LSCft. Previously Angela was an IT Office Manager at the University of Manchester and previously worked for the Head of Faculty Administration within the senior leadership team. Angela recently completed the BA (Hons) in Psychological Studies with the Open University and joined a local choir. Angela is married and has two grown up children.
Angela has vast experience of working within Mental Health inpatient settings and believes this understanding of patient experience will help her fulfil the role of Staff Governor, working alongside colleagues.
Justin Ponnamdanthil, Nursing Professions and Support Staff Constituency
First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027
Bio to follow.
Emily Richardson, Nursing Professions and Support Staff Constituency
First Term: 05/01/2023 to 04/01/2026
Emily is from the Lancaster area and works in Chorley as a Mental Health Nurse, managing a female acute ward. Emily is passionate about improving patient care and ensuring that the team delivers compassionate care.
Emily loves to be involved in quality improvement work and champions this within the team. Emily has an interest in the Governor role and she is keen to represent the views of frontline nursing staff and to ensure that the patient's voice is heard and represented in organisational discussions.
Selina Toussaint-Peterson
First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027
Selina works as a CBT Therapist and Equality Diversity, Inclusion and BAME champion for the Trust, roles which involve seeing and hearing the challenges met by both staff and patients. Making positive changes within the Trust is a value she strives to achieve for both patients and staff.
Lancashire is Selina’s home county and over the years she has lived and worked in both England and Canada. This has provided her with a multicultural perspective around race, religion, neurodiversity needs and the importance of respecting cultural values.
As part of the second generation of black people to be born in Lancashire, Selina understands the challenges of diaspora, immigrant people and being part of the working class. Taking part in local community activities such as youth clubs, BAME communities events and being a buddy keeps Lancashire close to her heart.
Having worked in the NHS for over 13 years within various roles, she has lived experience of delivering inpatient and community care within both physical and mental health. She embraces any opportunity and takes part in board meetings, interviews, Trust talks, CPDs and mentoring programs. As a dyslexic, black woman working in Lancashire Selina believes she can bring an alternative perspective to building a more inclusive Trust for all. Her goals as a Governor are learning and making change.
1x Staff Governor vacancy, Medical Staff Constituency
Council of Governors Meetings
Our Council of Governors meetings are currently taking place virtually via Microsoft Teams, however this is under continual review in accordance with governance guidelines.
If you would like to request any meeting minutes or to register your attendance for the next governors meeting, please contact Peter Swift, Senior Corporate Governance Officer on 01772 676021 or email on Peter.Swift@lscft.nhs.uk.
Council of Governors Meeting Dates 2023/24:
- Thursday 19 January 2023, 15:00 - 17:00 (agenda)
- Tuesday 18 April 2023, 13:00 - 16:00 (agenda)
- Tuesday 11 July 2023, 10:00 - 12:30 (agenda)
- Tuesday 17 October 2023, 10:00 - 12:30 (agenda)
- Tuesday 16 January 2024, 13:00 - 16:00 (agenda)
Council of Governors Meeting Dates 2024/25:
- Tuesday 23 April 2024, 12:30pm - 3pm (agenda)
- Monday 15 July 2024, 1:30pm - 4pm (agenda)
- Monday 14 October 2024, 1:30pm - 4pm (agenda)
- Tuesday 14 January 2025, 1:30pm - 4pm (agenda)
Meeting packs
Download the Council Of Governors meeting packs below.
2024/25
2023/24
Thumbnail | Title | Size |
---|---|---|
Council of Governors Meeting Pack 11.07.23.pdf | 5.57 MB | |
Council of Governors Meeting Pack 16.01.24.pdf | 2.58 MB | |
Council of Governors Meeting Pack 17.10.23.pdf | 3.69 MB | |
Council of Governors Meeting Pack 18.04.23 | 2.63 MB |
2022/23
2021/22
2020/21
Thumbnail | Title | Size |
---|---|---|
Council of Governors Meeting Pack - 07.04.2020.pdf | 2.73 MB | |
Council of Governors Meeting Pack - 14.10.2020.pdf | 1.65 MB | |
Council of Governors Meeting Pack - 16.09.2020.pdf | 1.26 MB | |
Council of Governors Meeting Pack - 16.12.2020.pdf | 10.95 MB |