Who we Are

Our Board and Governors

On this page you can meet our board and find out about our board meetings.

Our Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors provide leadership and help drive overall trust performance, ensuring accountability to Governors and our members.

The Board is legally responsible for the strategic and day-to-day operational management of the Trust, our policies and our services. It maintains a scheme of delegation giving authority to Directors and others within certain limits to carry out actions required under financial procedures and the Mental Health Act.

Ingrid Barker

Ingrid Barker

Chair

Ingrid Barker has been the Chair of Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust since October 2019, having been the Joint Chair for Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust and Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust since January 2018.  Prior to this she was the Chair of Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust since April 2011 and previously a Non-Executive Director on the Board of NHS Gloucestershire for five years.

She is a Trustee and board member for NHS Providers, elected to represent the Community Trusts across the country. Ingrid has undertaken national policy and service development roles through the Centre for Mental Health Services Development.  She was Deputy Chief Executive of an NHS Trust in Surrey and led Croydon Mental Health Unit as Unit General Manager, transforming institutional services to community provision. A qualified social worker, Ingrid established a service for young homeless people in Central London and was Regional Director of MIND.  She also led the creation of the first mental health Patients Councils and Advocacy projects in Britain.

Douglas Blair

Douglas Blair

Chief Executive

Douglas started as Chief Executive on 17 April 2023. Prior to joining our Trust, Douglas was Managing Director of Wiltshire Health and Care, which delivers adult community health and learning disability services in Wiltshire, a role he held since its establishment in July 2016.  He joined the NHS in 2006, with Associate Director and Director roles in South Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust, the South West Strategic Health Authority and NHS England before being appointed as Director of Community Services at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in 2014, which led to him establishing Wiltshire Health and Care as an NHS partnership. 

Prior to his time in the NHS, he was a civil servant, having being accepted into the Civil Service Fast Stream in 1998.  His government roles included homelessness policy, rural policy, the Scottish Cabinet secretariat and the reform and transformation of the prosecution service in Scotland.  His first career was as a sound engineer, working for EMI at Abbey Road Studios.

Sandra Betney

Sandra Betney

Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Finance

Sandra became the Director of Finance for Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust following the merger between 2gether NHS Foundation Trust and Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust.  Sandra was the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) and lead executive for the successful merger and integration. Sandra became joint Director of Finance for 2gether and Gloucestershire Care Services in June 2019, having previously been Director of Finance for Gloucestershire Care Services. Her responsibilities include strategy and business development, planning, financial management and contract management as well as leadership of the finance services, procurement, performance and IT functions.

Sandra was previously Executive Director of Resources at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, where she led on a wide portfolio of corporate services including finance, estates, ICT and business development. A qualified accountant, Sandra began her accountancy career with the Bradford and Northern Housing Association. She joined the NHS in 1993 and has held high profile roles in finance and procurement within health authorities, mental health trusts, and the NHS Information Authority.

David Noyes

David Noyes

Chief Operating Officer

David Noyes, our Chief Operating Officer, joined us in January 2022. He was previously Chief Operating Officer (Southampton and County Wide Services) at Solent NHS Trust, where he had been for the past four years. Prior to that, he was Director of Planning, Performance and Corporate Services at Wiltshire CCG – also for four years.

Before joining the NHS, David was a Naval officer for 28 years specialising principally in logistics, including a deployment as Chief Operating Officer for logistics with the Army’s Logistics Brigade in Afghanistan.

 
 

Helen Goodey

Helen Goodey

Joint Director of Locality Development and Primary Care

Helen became a joint non-voting executive for 2gether and GCS from April 2019. ​Helen has been in Gloucestershire since 2012, working closely with CCG GP clinical leaders to develop GP membership engagement. This has helped Gloucestershire practices to be well prepared in their clusters to develop into Primary Care Networks. Working closely with key stakeholders and partners, she is an ardent advocate of integrated place-based care working around patient populations to improve quality and deliver joined up care for patients, closer to home.

Helen has 20 years senior management experience working across both England and Wales, leading a wide portfolio of services including Workforce, Estates, Prescribing and Primary Care Development, with an MSc in Public Strategy and Leadership.

Helen is currently representative ​on a number of National Policy Development Groups, including national representative for NHSCC.

Angela Potter

Angela Potter

Director of Strategy and Partnerships

Angela joined as Director of Strategy & Partnerships in September 2019.  Her responsibilities include all aspects of the Trust’s strategy development and strategic input into the Trust’s planning cycles, leading the transformation and quality improvement agenda across the Trust to support new ways of working along with the development of strategic partnerships across the Gloucestershire system ensuring co-production of plans and priorities with staff, patients, service users and wider stakeholders.  She was previously Director of Business Development & Marketing at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS FT where she led on strategy, business development and annual planning along with a wider portfolio of corporate services including estates, facilities, capital planning and health & safety. 

Angela started her career as a Registered General Nurse and worked in a number of Emergency Departments across the East Midlands before being appointed into a variety of General Management and Change Management roles at both a regional and national level.  She holds a BA Hons in Health Studies and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from De Montfort University.

Neil Savage

Neil Savage

Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development

Neil joins us from his previous role of Director of HR Transformation, leading on the HR integration of Birmingham Children’s and Birmingham Women’s NHS Foundation Trusts. Prior to this, Neil worked at Birmingham Women’s NHS Foundation Trust, most recently as Chief Operating Officer. In this role, he successfully delivered local and national performance and access targets, developed and implemented a number of service improvements and people strategies, as well as implementing business continuity management and emergency planning systems. Before this, he was Executive Director of Workforce & Organisational Development. From 2004, Neil worked for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as Assistant HR Director and Acting Director of HR & Organisational Development. Neil has also worked in other HR roles for NHS trusts covering acute, mental health, learning disabilities and community services. A Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, Neil was the winner of the Health Education England West Midlands’ “Inspirational Leader of the Year” award in 2015 and was shortlisted as a national finalist in 2016.

John Trevains

John Trevains

Director of Nursing, Therapies and Quality

John joined the Trust in October 2018. John has held a range of posts across health and social care settings over a 22-year long career and is well known both nationally and locally within the NHS. Prior to joining us, John was Head of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Nursing for NHS England. He has previously held a number of senior leadership roles including Assistant Director of Nursing, Patient Experience, Safeguarding and Mental Health Homicide Investigations (NHS England South Central), Clinical Lead for the National Transformation Care Programme and Deputy Director of Nursing for ²gether. A Registered Mental Health Nursing graduate of Plymouth University, John also holds a MSc in Quality Improvement in Healthcare.

Dr Amjad Uppal

Dr Amjad Uppal

Medical Director

Amjad completed his undergraduate medical training in 1995 and subsequently worked in Primary Care and General Medicine before specialising in Psychiatry. He joined the Trust in August 2002 and completed his basic and specialist training locally in Gloucestershire in the Severn Deanery. He is on the GMC Specialist Register with accreditation in General Adult Psychiatry and an endorsement in Rehabilitation Psychiatry. His first appointment as Consultant was with the Cheltenham Crisis and Home Treatment Team from January 2010 to July 2013. In August 2013 he joined the Gloucester and Forest of Dean Assertive Outreach Team as Consultant. His previous additional roles include Inpatient Medical Lead (March 2010 to August 2013), Postgraduate Tutor (November 2010 to August 2013) and Director of Medical Education (August 2013 to December 2017). He was an elected and later a co-opted member of South West Division of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He is a member of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management and represented the South West Division in the Leadership and Management Committee of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He was appointed as Medical Director in 2gether NHS Foundation Trust in December 2017 and Joint Medical Director 2gether NHS Foundation Trust and Gloucestershire Care Services in February 2019. He is also the Responsible Officer and Caldicott Guardian in the Trust.

Our Non Executive Directors

Marcia Gallagher

Marcia Gallagher

Non-Executive Director

Marcia was appointed on 1 April 2016. Marcia Gallagher brings with her 40 years’ NHS service and her experience both as a qualified accountant and the holder of a number of senior functioning roles in the NHS. Marcia chairs the Trust’s Audit Committee. Marcia is also the Vice Chair of the Charitable Funds and Delivery Committees.

Marcia, who lives in the Forest of Dean, worked in both commissioner and provider organisations in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and the West Midlands. More recently, she worked for NHS England, before her retirement in January 2016. She has had both a professional and personal involvement with mental health services, something that resulted in her decision to become involved with ²gether.

Marcia is the Chair of Crossroads Care (Forest of Dean and Herefordshire) a specialist Charity that provides personal care services to support unpaid carers and individuals to enable them to continue to live independently in their own home.

Marcia Was appointed to the Shadow Board for the proposed merged Trust in December 2018.

Sumita Hutchinson

Sumita Hutchinson

Non-Executive Director

Sumita was appointed to the Board in January 2019. Sumita is a commercial Employment lawyer by background. She is also a Non-Executive Director on Royal United Hospitals in Bath.

As well as experience in the commercial sector, Sumita has a breadth of experience in the public sector and has worked across the system; in the Local Authority as a Social Care Commissioner, in the Police leading the equalities and participation agenda and in the NHS as a senior leader in mental, community and acute health.

She is also an active volunteer, as founding Chair of the Bristol Mayoral Race Equality Commission and Bristol Women’s commission. Also in her capacity as a wellbeing practitioner, she offers free accessible wellbeing classes and gives regular broadcasts on BBC radio on health and wellbeing.

Sumita is passionate about being part of the solution to the two major issues of our time: social inequality and environmental destruction. She is the Board Champion for both these issues and she believes that a well-equipped and empowered workforce is the key to any transformation.

Sumita is Chair of the Charitable Funds Committee and Vice-Chair of the Resources Committee. She is also on the Quality Committee.

Dr Stephen Alvis

Dr Stephen Alvis

Non-Executive Director

Stephen has been a GP in Gloucestershire for the last 32 years, first with the Uley practice and then with the Cam and Uley Family Practice following a merger of two surgeries in 2013.

He chaired the Stroud and Berkeley Vale Primary Care Group, and has served as Treasurer on the Gloucestershire Local Medical Committee, working in liaison with the clinical commissioning group on specific projects.

A former graduate of Bristol University, Stephen had junior doctor roles in Cheltenham, Exeter, Bristol, Weston-super-Mare, Milton Keynes and Aylesbury, before his GP training in Buckingham.

He retired from general practice in October 2019. Outside of work he is an active member of Cotswold Edge Golf Club. Stephen has two dogs and enjoys walking them in the wooded Cotswold countryside.

Jan Marriott

Jan Marriott

Non-Executive Director

Jan Marriott is a nurse who has a degree in social policy as well as an MBA. Jan has previously been Director of Nursing in the NHS in Worcestershire and West Gloucestershire as well as with a national independent sector care organisation. She also has experience as a Director of Clinical Change in the Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust. Jan loves nursing and cares deeply about the provision of high quality, personalised care and the empowerment of colleagues.

Jan has worked in Gloucestershire since 2002 and for some years has been Co-Chair of the Gloucestershire Learning Disability and the Physical Disability and Sensory Impairment Partnership Boards as well as being the Independent Chair of the Gloucestershire Mental Health and Wellbeing Partnership Board. The rationale for the Boards is that by working together with partners, other agencies and people with lived experience we can contribute more and improve the lives of the people of Gloucestershire.  Jan is very committed to co-production and is an advocate for place-based approaches.

Graham Russell

Graham Russell

Vice Chair, Non-Executive Director

Graham Russell is former Chair of Elim Housing Association and currently Chair of Second Step, a mental health charity.

Prior to chairing Elim Housing and Second Step, Graham spent 10 years as an expert advisor to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), four years as executive director at the Commission for Rural Communities and a decade in a number of senior roles at Business in the Community, one of The Prince’s Charities.

Graham was appointed as a non-executive director of Gloucestershire Care Services in August 2016. He is now Vice-Chair of Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Nicola de longh

Nicola de longh

Non-Executive Director

Nicola is also Chair of Council at the University of Gloucestershire. There she is an advocate for education as a means of transforming people’s lives so that they can make the world a better place, and for the civic role the University plays in our community.

She also serves as a Trustee of the Gloucestershire Counselling Service, a charity dedicated to improving mental health in the county. She is also Senior Independent Director of Connexus Housing, a social landlord based in Shropshire and Herefordshire.

In the private sector, Nicola chairs the Reference Committee for the Premier Miton UK Responsible Investment Fund, with a remit to advise on the fund’s investment policy and scrutinise investment decisions from the perspective of sustainability and ethics.

Previously, Nicola worked in the financial services sector as a global change lead. She also spent several years working as a freelance management consultant majoring in complex, strategic change across different sectors, both in the UK and internationally.

Nicola has lived in Gloucestershire for 20 years with her husband, two sons, two cats and a dog.

Balance of the Board

The Board reviews its effectiveness after each meeting, and through developmental workshops throughout the year. These build on similar performance evaluations carried out during previous years. Board Committees’ objectives and Terms of Reference are reviewed annually, and Committee membership is regularly reviewed to take account of any new Non-Executive Directors joining the Board, and to ensure that Non-Executive Directors’ skills and knowledge are being put to the best possible use.

It is the Trust Chair’s responsibility to ensure Committee and Board membership is revitalised when appropriate. The balance of skills on the Board is considered when appointing replacements, thus ensuring that the Board’s mix of skills, knowledge and experience remains appropriate for the current and future requirements of the Trust.

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Our next board meeting

Our next scheduled public board meeting will take place on Thursday 28 March 2024 at 10am.

If you wish to join these meetings, please email anna.hilditch@ghc.nhs.uk so that details can be sent to you nearer the time.

Future board meetings

  • Thursday 30 May 2024
  • Thursday 25 July 2024
  • Thursday 26 September 2024
  • Thursday 28 November 2024

Board papers and minutes of previous meetings

Board papers for Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust can be found below.
Please note that not all information in these papers is presented in an accessible format. If you require documents in another format, please email the Trust Secretariat with your request: trust.secretary@ghc.nhs.uk 

2024
  • January 2024 Board Papers
  • March 2024 Board Papers
  • May 2024 Board Papers
  • July 2024 Board Papers
  • September 2024 Board Papers
  • November 2024 Board Papers

Asking a question at a Board meeting

You may ask a question at a public board meeting on any matter which is within the powers and duties of Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Your question must be submitted in writing to the Trust Secretary by 10am, three clear working days before the date of the Board meeting.

A written answer will be provided to a written question and will also be read out at the meeting by the Chair or other Trust Board member to whom it was addressed.

If you as the questioner are unable to attend the meeting in person, the question and response will still be read out and a formal written response will be sent to you following the meeting. A record of all questions asked, and the Trust’s response, will be included in the minutes from the Board meeting for public record.

Contact Details

For further information, please contact the Trust Secretary on 0300 421 8321.

Public questions can be submitted for Trust Board meetings by emailing TrustSecretary@ghc.nhs.uk.

Oral questions without notice

A member of the public who has put a written question may, with the consent of the Chair, ask an additional oral question on the same subject.

Public Board meetings also have time allocated at the start of each agenda for the receipt of oral questions from members of the public present, without notice having been given.

An answer to an oral question under this procedural standing order will take the form of either:

  • a direct oral answer; or,
  • if the information required is not easily available a written answer will be sent to the questioner and circulated to all members of the Trust Board.
Exclusions

Written questions may be rejected and oral questions need not be answered when the Chair considers that they:

  • are not on any matter that is within the powers and duties of the Trust;
  • are defamatory, frivolous or offensive;
  • are substantially the same as a question that has been put to a meeting of the Trust Board in the past six months; or,
  • would require the disclosure of confidential or exempt information.

Public consultations

Public consultations may concern, for example, closures or variations of services.

There are currently no public consultations being conducted.

Council of Governors

The Council of Governors is made up of public, staff, and appointed​ governors. You can see more information about the council on their dedicated Council page.

Accessibility