Meet the board

Now living in the county, Rick was born and brought up in Leicester. A Chartered Surveyor and a law graduate, he now runs his own Property Advice Consultancy, and is the former President of Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce.

He is the longest serving Magistrate in Leicestershire having been on the Bench for more than 30 years and is Chair of Governors at a city school. Rick is also Chair of the Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation Charity and a trustee of the Hope Against Cancer charity.

Rick brings a wealth of experience to Healthwatch Leicestershire, with expertise in motivating and leading Boards towards achieving positive outcomes.

In September 2012 Rick was listed by the Leicester Mercury as being one of the 200 most influential people in Leicestershire.

Rick said, “I’m pleased to be appointed as Chair and recognise the importance of patients and the public having a voice in the health and social care services they receive. I look forward to meeting the Board in the coming weeks and leading Healthwatch Leicestershire in its work to become a credible consumer champion”.

Sue has 40 years experience working in the NHS, firstly as a Nurse and then as Operating Department Sister and Operating Department Clinical Manager.

She was appointed as Head of Nursing for Education by The University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) and also as Adult Safeguarding Lead.

Sue was awarded an Honorary Masters Degree from De Montfort University in 2004 for services to Nursing and Midwifery.

Since her retirement in 2010, Sue has been involved in the voluntary sector serving on the Board of Leicestershire LINk and then on the Interim Leadership Group for Healthwatch Leicestershire.

She is also heavily involved with Patient Participation Groups (PPG) and is Chair of her local GP Practice Group.

Fiona Barber has spent 35 years working in the public and voluntary sector across the East Midlands, with vast experience in public safety and social care.

Fiona was a board member of Leicestershire LINk, chairing some of the public consultation events, leading on the signposting pilot for the transition to Healthwatch Leicestershire and being an active member of the transition group.

In addition, whilst with Age UK Leicester Shire and Rutland, Fiona has previously been involved at a national level with Information and Advice and also the development of services for older people.

Fiona is also involved with her local Patient Participation Group.

Pat worked in the field of Mental Health for 32 years, starting as a student nurse, rising through to Clinical Nurse Manager and finally on to general management.

In 1998, Pat joined the Leicestershire County Council (LCC) and worked with that authority for 14 years before retiring in December 2012. Her roles involved service development, commissioning and contracting, primarily around services to support carers of people living in Leicestershire. For 12 of those fourteen years Pat was the Carers’ Lead Officer for the County Council, in which role she successfully enabled the development of three Carers’ Strategies and several well received internal and external Carers’ Services. Pat has received many accolades for her work with and for carers from colleagues at a local, regional and national level, the most significant of which was being nominated by LCC for, and subsequently being awarded, an MBE in 2010 for services to local government.

Pat joined Healthwatch Leicestershire (HWL) in December 2012 and is now joint Chairperson of the HWL Carers’ Reference Group.

Chris has lived in Leicestershire for twenty-five years and has taken a strong interest in the local health and social care landscape.

After retirement Chris joined the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) NHS Trust as Chairman. During his time as Chairman at EMAS, the service amalgamated with Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire and Chris was appointed as Chair of the new enlarged organisation. He served for seven and a half years during which time EMAS changed and improved dramatically. Whilst working with the NHS, Chris learned about its culture, workings and governance and has kept abreast with the changes made by successive governments.

When Chris’s second term with EMAS came to an end, he joined the Air Ambulance Service as a Trustee and is now Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Finance Committee and Chairman of its trading company.

Chris is committed to improving services in the Leicestershire.

Mina has over 30 years experience working in the NHS.

Since retiring, Mina has been active in many voluntary organisations such as the Leicestershire Partnership Trust, the Patient Participation Group, Leicester Older People’s Engagement Network and the Afro Caribbean Forum as well as Healthwatch Leicestershire.

Mina is a committee member for the National Pensioners Convention and is the Unison Retired Members Officer for Leicestershire Health Branch.

Narendra has gained a wealth of experience and knowledge on social, political and economic issues through being a key member of various organisations in Leicestershire such as University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and Leicester LINK.

Since 1998 Narendra has been involved with an organisation that works with young people, educating them on the dangers of drugs, street crimes, smoking and alcohol.

As a member of the Valuation Tribunal Services, Narendra has been involved in dealing with sensitive issues through working with people of different backgrounds. This experience helps him to deal with Police cases to monitor any discrimination by the Police or by the Victims of Crime from different communities.

Narendra feels a real sense of satisfaction from his work within the community and his contribution towards the betterment of our society.

John Baker has lived in Leicestershire for over 30 years with his wife, a healthcare professional. Graduating with a Business degree, John has been a Chief Executive for several companies as well as being President of the Industry Trade Association.

During semi-retirement John became a CAB Trustee and joined the County’s Patient and Public Forum. He joined Leicestershire Link in 2008 as chair of the Communication Group and became Chair of Leicestershire Link in 2009 until it finished in 2013.

He was also on the transformation group that set up Healthwatch Leicestershire.

John believes that the patient voice is even more important in the new and ever complex world of health and social care and sees the need for health and social care to be more joined up.

Evan has lived in Bagworth, Leicestershire for the past 15 years. He has worked in a wide variety of third sector organisations including a hostel for homeless people, social housing providers, social enterprise development agencies and in regeneration.

Evan spent four years as an Independent Lay Member for West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group and chaired their quality & performance committee and the primary care commissioning committee.

Now working as a freelance consultant, Evan is also a Director of MRC Community Action in North West Leicestershire and a member of Performing Arts at the Century Theatre in Coalville.

Vandna brings a wealth of experience to her role as Director of Healthwatch Leicestershire. Throughout her 25-year career she has worked within roles that have a purpose to improve the lives and opportunities of disadvantaged communities.

Vandna started off as a community outreach worker at Coventry Law Centre and went on to become Senior Welfare Rights Worker at Leicester City Council. She became Deputy Director of Voluntary Action Leicester in 1988 and then moved to the National Lottery Community Fund as UK Policy and Development Manager.

Vandna then went on to Futurebuilders as Learning and Development Manager. In 2007 she was appointed as the first Director of Voice4Change England, a national organisation that champions the voice of BME in the voluntary and community sector.

In 2012 she became Programme Manager for Voluntary Action LeicesterShire and in 2013 Vandna was appointed Director of Healthwatch Leicestershire. In her current role Vandna provides strategic support, leadership and management to ensure that Healthwatch Leicestershire is an effective voice for patients and public across the county.

Now living in the county, Rick was born and brought up in Leicester. A Chartered Surveyor and a law graduate, he now runs his own Property Advice Consultancy, and is the former President of Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce.

He is the longest serving Magistrate in Leicestershire having been on the Bench for more than 30 years and is Chair of Governors at a city school. Rick is also Chair of the Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation Charity and a trustee of the Hope Against Cancer charity.

Rick brings a wealth of experience to Healthwatch Leicestershire, with expertise in motivating and leading Boards towards achieving positive outcomes.

In September 2012 Rick was listed by the Leicester Mercury as being one of the 200 most influential people in Leicestershire.

Rick said, “I’m pleased to be appointed as Chair and recognise the importance of patients and the public having a voice in the health and social care services they receive. I look forward to meeting the Board in the coming weeks and leading Healthwatch Leicestershire in its work to become a credible consumer champion”.

Sue has 40 years experience working in the NHS, firstly as a Nurse and then as Operating Department Sister and Operating Department Clinical Manager.

She was appointed as Head of Nursing for Education by The University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) and also as Adult Safeguarding Lead.

Sue was awarded an Honorary Masters Degree from De Montfort University in 2004 for services to Nursing and Midwifery.

Since her retirement in 2010, Sue has been involved in the voluntary sector serving on the Board of Leicestershire LINk and then on the Interim Leadership Group for Healthwatch Leicestershire.

She is also heavily involved with Patient Participation Groups (PPG) and is Chair of her local GP Practice Group.

Fiona Barber has spent 35 years working in the public and voluntary sector across the East Midlands, with vast experience in public safety and social care.

Fiona was a board member of Leicestershire LINk, chairing some of the public consultation events, leading on the signposting pilot for the transition to Healthwatch Leicestershire and being an active member of the transition group.

In addition, whilst with Age UK Leicester Shire and Rutland, Fiona has previously been involved at a national level with Information and Advice and also the development of services for older people.

Fiona is also involved with her local Patient Participation Group.

Pat worked in the field of Mental Health for 32 years, starting as a student nurse, rising through to Clinical Nurse Manager and finally on to general management.

In 1998, Pat joined the Leicestershire County Council (LCC) and worked with that authority for 14 years before retiring in December 2012. Her roles involved service development, commissioning and contracting, primarily around services to support carers of people living in Leicestershire. For 12 of those fourteen years Pat was the Carers’ Lead Officer for the County Council, in which role she successfully enabled the development of three Carers’ Strategies and several well received internal and external Carers’ Services. Pat has received many accolades for her work with and for carers from colleagues at a local, regional and national level, the most significant of which was being nominated by LCC for, and subsequently being awarded, an MBE in 2010 for services to local government.

Pat joined Healthwatch Leicestershire (HWL) in December 2012 and is now joint Chairperson of the HWL Carers’ Reference Group.

Chris has lived in Leicestershire for twenty-five years and has taken a strong interest in the local health and social care landscape.

After retirement Chris joined the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) NHS Trust as Chairman. During his time as Chairman at EMAS, the service amalgamated with Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire and Chris was appointed as Chair of the new enlarged organisation. He served for seven and a half years during which time EMAS changed and improved dramatically. Whilst working with the NHS, Chris learned about its culture, workings and governance and has kept abreast with the changes made by successive governments.

When Chris’s second term with EMAS came to an end, he joined the Air Ambulance Service as a Trustee and is now Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Finance Committee and Chairman of its trading company.

Chris is committed to improving services in the Leicestershire.

Mina has over 30 years experience working in the NHS.

Since retiring, Mina has been active in many voluntary organisations such as the Leicestershire Partnership Trust, the Patient Participation Group, Leicester Older People’s Engagement Network and the Afro Caribbean Forum as well as Healthwatch Leicestershire.

Mina is a committee member for the National Pensioners Convention and is the Unison Retired Members Officer for Leicestershire Health Branch.

Narendra has gained a wealth of experience and knowledge on social, political and economic issues through being a key member of various organisations in Leicestershire such as University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and Leicester LINK.

Since 1998 Narendra has been involved with an organisation that works with young people, educating them on the dangers of drugs, street crimes, smoking and alcohol.

As a member of the Valuation Tribunal Services, Narendra has been involved in dealing with sensitive issues through working with people of different backgrounds. This experience helps him to deal with Police cases to monitor any discrimination by the Police or by the Victims of Crime from different communities.

Narendra feels a real sense of satisfaction from his work within the community and his contribution towards the betterment of our society.

John Baker has lived in Leicestershire for over 30 years with his wife, a healthcare professional. Graduating with a Business degree, John has been a Chief Executive for several companies as well as being President of the Industry Trade Association.

During semi-retirement John became a CAB Trustee and joined the County’s Patient and Public Forum. He joined Leicestershire Link in 2008 as chair of the Communication Group and became Chair of Leicestershire Link in 2009 until it finished in 2013.

He was also on the transformation group that set up Healthwatch Leicestershire.

John believes that the patient voice is even more important in the new and ever complex world of health and social care and sees the need for health and social care to be more joined up.

Evan has lived in Bagworth, Leicestershire for the past 15 years. He has worked in a wide variety of third sector organisations including a hostel for homeless people, social housing providers, social enterprise development agencies and in regeneration.

Evan spent four years as an Independent Lay Member for West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group and chaired their quality & performance committee and the primary care commissioning committee.

Now working as a freelance consultant, Evan is also a Director of MRC Community Action in North West Leicestershire and a member of Performing Arts at the Century Theatre in Coalville.

Vandna brings a wealth of experience to her role as Director of Healthwatch Leicestershire. Throughout her 25-year career she has worked within roles that have a purpose to improve the lives and opportunities of disadvantaged communities.

Vandna started off as a community outreach worker at Coventry Law Centre and went on to become Senior Welfare Rights Worker at Leicester City Council. She became Deputy Director of Voluntary Action Leicester in 1988 and then moved to the National Lottery Community Fund as UK Policy and Development Manager.

Vandna then went on to Futurebuilders as Learning and Development Manager. In 2007 she was appointed as the first Director of Voice4Change England, a national organisation that champions the voice of BME in the voluntary and community sector.

In 2012 she became Programme Manager for Voluntary Action LeicesterShire and in 2013 Vandna was appointed Director of Healthwatch Leicestershire. In her current role Vandna provides strategic support, leadership and management to ensure that Healthwatch Leicestershire is an effective voice for patients and public across the county.