NHS West Sussex Health & wellbeing for life

Email: billyboris@aol.com
Tel: 01903 764941

I am standing for election as I have lived in West Sussex for the past 30 years and in Adur district for 14 years. I would like to give something back to my community.

I have worked in the NHS and a local authority and currently work for a local charity. I have gained good knowledge and insight into how organisations work and the politics within them.

I am up to date with local public sector issues in West Sussex, in particular the Fit For the Future reorganisation.

I am used to reading and understanding committee reports and papers. I am also confident in participating in discussions and meetings.

• Declaration of interests:
  Political party: none
  Financial or other interest in the Trust: none

Email: stuartahenderson@btinternet.com
Tel: 01798 873119

I will want to work with the new Council to ensure that the interests of patients are protected particularly as services are currently under review. Financial restrictions will force our NHS to examine its priorities. I am concerned that the NHS concentrates on providing quality services particularly in the community. With an ageing population in our Chichester-Regis area we need to see an improvement in ambulance services and in support for patient transport provided by volunteers. Our local NHS must take advantage of developments in treatment and medical technology to improve its services.

I would bring considerable experience to the Council. I have been involved in lay representation for over 10 years as a member of the Community Health Council and Patient Forums. I am currently chair of the Interim Patients Council for NHS West Sussex and also of our local GP’s patients group in Pulborough. I believe strongly that public involvement in the NHS makes a constructive contribution to the work of our health service.

• Declaration of interests:
  Political Party: none
  Financial or other interest in the Trust: none

Email: chris@mckrill.me.uk
Tel: n/a

I have nominated myself for election to the council because I consider myself to have the appropriate qualities and skills.

My 30-year career as a registered nurse has predominantly been as a District Nurse. I am confident in attending healthcare committees and representing the public. I am a confident advocate and always put patients and carers first.

Previously, I was a nurse member of the Professional Executive Committee for West Sussex PCT and was the nurse representative on the North East Review panel.

I am employed by the provider arm of the PCT as an educator but am still clinically involved in patient care.

As a family, we have been involved extensively over the past few years with the healthcare services PCT wide and I feel this insight from a patient and carer perspective will be advantageous for this role.

I champion the NHS at all levels, primary, secondary and tertiary and believe that an equitable service should be aspired to and best practice delivered as a matter of course.

I consider my interpersonal skills as advanced and adept. I am professional, maintain integrity and practice confidentially at all times. I am open minded, non judgemental and have no reservations in challenging appropriately. I have expectation that equality and diversity will be respected at all times and that decisions are agreed in best interest for the population.

If I were to be elected I would consider being able to represent the public in this role as a privilege.

• Declaration of interests:
  Political Party: none
  Financial or other interest in the Trust: employed in the provider arm.

Email: christophermullins@btinternet.com
Tel: 01293 511069

I have since 1983 been a Borough and County Councillor, Borough 1983/2004, County 2000/2009. (26 years).

Borough activities: Housing, Leisure and Environment , Chair of Licensing Committee, Executive Member  for  Leisure Services and Crawley Mayor 2001/2.

County activities: Adult and Children’s Services, Health Overview Scrutiny Committee (HOSC), the Joint HOSC (inter County) County Representative to East Surrey Hospital, (SASH).

My visits to E/Surrey Hospital were with the CEO and The Board Chair; many issues were dealt with, including visits to Health facilities in Sussex.

I understand how important the links are between the Health Service and Social Services. And welfare needs of both young and old.  My duties caused me to be involved with Health Service and Social Service workers.

Whilst on Children’s Services I was Chair of the Policy and Development Committee, took particular interest in looked after Children and those with learning difficulties. These Children have Health and Educational needs that are below the national average of achievement in their year groups.

As a member, of both the HOSC and the Joint HOSC, I was very involved in the ‘Fit For The Future’ implementation and the NE Review. I attended many meetings with representatives from all of the South East PCT’s. Our duty was to question their implementation plans and to make comment on them and if necessary, make referrals to the Government.

Through this background and experience, I believe that I can make a good contribution to the Patient and Public Council.

• Declaration of interests:
  Political Party: none
  Financial or other interest in the Trust: none

Email: geraintjenthomas@btinternet.com
Tel: 01293 562605

I am a lifelong Crawley resident and I am devoted to the town. I am 59 years old and retired in 2005 after 31 years of geography teaching locally. In October 2009, I was elected as Labour Borough Councillor for Northgate. Since my retirement, I have been working voluntarily to support the NHS locally as a member of the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust (SaSH) Patients Council and as Chair of the Ifield Medical Practice Patients Participation Group. I stepped down from the SaSH Patients Council when I was elected as a councillor.

I have a particular interest in the provision of accessible health care for Crawley residents. I am also concerned about improving health outcomes in Crawley which are shown in life expectancy figures for instance. Crawley compares less favourably with its Sussex environs and there are stark contrasts between the east and west parts of the town. I would be very pleased if Crawley had a new NHS hospital in keeping with its status as the dominant local settlement when resources permit but recognise the considerable progress that has been made in NHS provision in recent years.

I can bring a number of skills to the Council such as knowledge of the town and local health provision, an ability to write fluently and to read and analyse written and numerical information, an ability to listen and respond to the concerns of others and to speak up in public meetings.

• Declaration of interests:
  Political Party: none
  Financial or other interest in the Trust: none

Email: sue@goodiehouse.wanadoo.co.uk
Tel: 01403 784594

Born in Surrey in 1949, I moved to West Sussex in 1964 and to the Horsham district in 1984. Since taking early retirement in 2004, I’ve continuously participated in many forms of patient and public involvement in the NHS. I was chairman of the Horsham and Chanctonbury Patient and Public Involvement locality group, until its demise in 2006, and I’ve been a member of NHS West Sussex Interim Patients Council since then. I’ve also been an elected member of the West Sussex LINk Stewardship Group since its inception in 2008.

I’m a volunteer driver for Billinghurst Community Transport, mainly taking patients to hospitals within and outside West Sussex. I try to reflect their concerns about the NHS to the several NHS committees on which I sit as the sole patient member. These include the Community Hospitals Forum, the 19 Weeks Referral to Treatment Board, the Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Board, and the regional Emergency Ambulance and Patient Transport Services Commissioning Groups. I recently chaired the Public Reference Panels on Commissioning for Emergency Surgery and for Inpatient Paediatrics.

Most of these are concerned with the whole of West Sussex. But I’m also interested in achieving equity in NHS access for Horsham and Chanctonbury patients. I was a member of the North East Review Stakeholder Forum, and I’m still in favour of a new general hospital for NHS patients in Horsham and Crawley. I believe the evidence I submitted showed there is an irrefutable need for additional hospital capacity here.

• Declaration of interests:
  Political Party: none
  Financial or other interest in the Trust: none

Email: geoff.h.smith@btinternet.com 
Tel: 01403 782000

I am a retired drilling engineer and have lived in the Horsham area for more than 50 years.  I was co-ordinator of the local Victim Support scheme and have been a lay police custody suite visitor.  

My involvement with the NHS began about seven years ago when I represented patients in my local surgery (Billingshurst) on the Patient Carer Network of the Horsham and Chanctonbury PCT.  I was also a Lay Assessor visiting GP surgeries within the PCT area on a quality assessment programme.

When all the County PCTs were amalgamated into the single West Sussex PCT, I maintained my contacts and continued to represent the Billingshurst Surgery on several bodies including the Interim Patient Council, and the NE Review Stakeholder Forum.

As I became involved with new PCT organisation, I was aware of weaknesses in the structure that I felt possibly detrimental to the well-being of patients in the Horsham district.  In particular, the main focus of the PCT management appeared to be towards the more populated coastal belt; with the isolated rural areas in the north receiving relatively less attention.   An attempt was made to rectify this with the NE Review but there is still some disquiet regarding the local hospital situation.

I will be happy to support members of the Horsham and Chanctonbury constituency in pressing the Trust to provide a better service to our region if I am elected to the Members’ Council.

• Declaration of interests:
  Political Party: none
  Financial or other interest in the Trust: none

Email: joyce@7highfield.fsnet.co.uk
Tel: 01273 833056

Having worked for ten years in the Social Services Department of the Princess Royal Hospital, I have a particular interest in and knowledge of the welfare of NHS patients, their treatment and care. I therefore became a member of the West Sussex PCT Public and Patient Involvement Forum (2005-08).  Subsequently I was invited to join the West Sussex Interim Patients’ Council, and in this capacity I have been actively involved in the formation of the Membership Scheme and the Customer Services Unit.  I am a member of the LINk, and a founder member of the Central Sussex Independent Patients’ Forum.

I am one of the two Lay Representatives to the Kleinwort Centre (Community Hospital), Haywards Heath, and attend their staff meetings.

As President of our local Hurstpierpoint Women’s Institute, Senior Steward of the Methodist Church (where I also help with a Parents’ and Toddlers’ Group), Patient Participation Group member, and a member of Burgess Hill U3A, together with various other interests, I am able to represent the views of a considerable number of people.

One of my special concerns is to urge NHS West Sussex to communicate with patients and the public in ‘layman’s’ terms, without too much jargon, and to encourage a greater understanding between them.  Whilst I appreciate the excellent work of the NHS, I am also keen to point out areas where there is room for improvement which are drawn to my attention by members of the public.

• Declaration of interests:
  Political Party: none
  Financial or other interest in the Trust: none

Email: mvincent831@btinternet.com
Tel: 01342 325538

After graduating with a degree in engineering I worked for 34 years for ExxonMobil. I carried out operational audits around Africa and the Mediterranean and held a variety of managerial posts. I retired when I was fifty. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1994 and had a second prostatic tumour and treatment 1998. By then I had graduated as a counsellor, and had a thriving private practice. I still work as a volunteer counsellor for a cancer support group. I was a school trustee for ten years, four of them as Chair. 

I am currently a member of Sussex Cancer Network User Partnership Group; Chair of the National Cancer Partnership Forum; a member of the National User Advisory Group for Cancer Peer Review and the Service User Advisory Group for the National Council for Palliative Care; a member of the West Sussex Interim Patient’s Council and chair of the Peoples Engagement and Development Network meeting for South East Coast SHA. 

I also sit on several local and national cancer and non cancer health groups and am a trustee of a complementary therapy centre. I am a fervent believer in both us all taking responsibility for our own health and the system that provides help when we need it. 

I believe that is best done by influencing through involvement the research, commissioning and provision of services by the NHS, and the way in which the public, usually at its most vulnerable, is treated with care and respect.

• Declaration of interests:
  Political Party: none
  Financial or other interest in the Trust: none

Email: ian.strand.community@hotmail.com
Tel: 07910 345716

My whole working and partial private life has been focused upon helping others in the Community whether it be from running Scout Troops, St. John Ambulance Cadet Division, driving and attending on NHS ambulances, Officer Leadership in the Fire Service and to assisting disadvantaged people do their shopping.

Various Professional qualifications including teaching are held.

My expertise and knowledge in advising boards of large multi million pound UK listed companies, working in commerce, and running my own companies would be beneficial and invaluable to the PCT and the general public.

Over the past few years the PCT has instigated some important suggestions that I have put to it.

Being used to public speaking and debating, skills which would enhance any position on the Council, I believe that with these and my general background I could fulfil a Council role with competence and integrity.

• Declaration of interests:
  Political Party: none
  Financial or other interest in the Trust: none

Email: lee-frank@sky.com
Tel: 01903 536929 

I hope that if I get on the Council it will help me to understand how this great monolith, the NHS, works, and how to try to improve it in some way by letting the professionals know what the public’ and patients’ views are.

I have been involved with the NHS for some years now as a patient and a member of the public and have already learnt something about it. I spent 5 years auditing the NHS during my work with the National Audit Office.

I believe the Council and indeed the NHS has got to be a team effort, no egos but all working to serve a common cause for the benefit of all.

• Declaration of interests:
  Political Party: none
  Financial or other interest in the Trust: none

Susan Onslow, from Horsham, brings her experience of working with patients and stakeholders across a diverse range of projects in NHS West Sussex.  She has a particular interest in the care of older people and is a committee member of Age Concern in Crawley.  Finally as a patient with a long term condition she also has direct experience of both community and hospital care. 

Susan feels that her experience both as a patient and an NHS staff member working with patients and stakeholders will help to improve services by understanding peoples’ needs, and through involvement in the design of services. 

• Declaration of interests:
  Political Party: none
  Financial or other interest in the Trust: staff member