Board and Governors

Appointed October 1, 2021

Louise has spent 37 years working in healthcare and 17 years working in Higher Education, with extensive experience in nursing education, clinical governance, and strategic planning. She holds a PhD on the subject of service users' experiences of Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment services. Louise has held senior roles as Head of Nursing, Health, and Professional Practice at University of Cumbria; Non-Executive Director for Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust / North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust; Chair of Carlisle and Eden MIND; and as an advisor for Borderline UK.
 

Appointed January 29, 2024

Vikas brings over 30 years of experience in the creative and voluntary sectors, including more than two decades in senior leadership roles. He has extensive expertise in strategic leadership, including setting organisational direction, governance, programme development and delivery, financial management, fundraising and quality assurance, with a particular focus on equality, diversity and inclusion.

He is the Founder and Director of GemArts, a nationally recognised arts charity based in Gateshead, and has a strong track record of working in partnership across cultural, public, private and voluntary sectors. His work has focused on improving access to arts and services for minority ethnic communities and increasing participation through culturally relevant approaches.

Vikas has received national and regional recognition for his work, including being awarded an MBE in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to arts and culture. He has also received the Gateshead Award for outstanding service and multiple Asian Business Connexions Arts and Culture awards.

He was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear in 2024. He also holds a number of non executive and trustee roles, including Vice Chair and Trustee of Bensham Grove Community Centre, Trustee of Northern Stage, and member of Newcastle University Court and Nominations Committee.

Appointed September 8, 2025

Thomas brings over 20 years’ experience in NHS digital health, with a strong focus on improving the usability and effectiveness of clinical systems. He is widely recognised as a national leader in clinical system usability and has worked to ensure digital solutions better support staff and patient care.

Thomas is Founder and Director of Ethical Healthcare, a specialist digital healthcare consultancy, and is a board member of the TechUK Health and Social Care programme. He has also shared his expertise through teaching, including as a lecturer in digital strategy at Newcastle University Business School.

He brings significant experience of digital transformation, innovation and system design, supporting the Trust to make the best use of technology to improve services and outcomes for patients.

Appointed July 1, 2024

Robin is a qualified Chartered Accountant with extensive experience across regeneration, housing and the voluntary sector. He has held senior leadership roles including Group Executive Director at a house building and regeneration company and Executive Director of Corporate Services at a fast growing charity providing services for people with complex health and social care needs.

Robin has worked on a wide range of regeneration programmes, advising local councils as well as the Welsh Government and Scottish Executive. Earlier in his career, he held a project finance role with the National Regeneration Agency and was Finance Director of an urban regeneration company in the North East of England.

He also brings significant non executive experience, having served as a member of the Finance Committee at Newcastle Gateshead Initiative and as a non executive director of a housing association.

Appointed September 10, 2025

Emma is a qualified solicitor with expertise in criminal justice and regulatory frameworks. She brings over 30 years of senior leadership experience across the Civil Service and the NHS, including leading major national transformation programmes within complex public sector organisations.

She holds a number of independent roles, including Independent Specialist Member of the Mental Health Tribunal and Independent Panel Member for Fitness to Practise and Misconduct, where she contributes her legal and governance expertise.

Emma is also an experienced executive coach and mentor, supporting senior leaders to navigate complex systems and drive improvement.

Appointed January 29, 2024

Rachel holds a degree in History and brings a strong commitment to inclusion, safeguarding and improving outcomes for vulnerable people. She is an active member of the Trust’s Involvement Bank and has contributed to initiatives that strengthen patient voice and experience.

She has held a range of roles supporting people with learning disabilities and epilepsy, including working as a Personal Assistant and contributing to national conversations on discrimination in health and social care. She has also been involved as a writer, speaker and consultant for the ‘Hearing the Voice’ project, an interdisciplinary study exploring voice hearing.

Rachel has experience in leadership and advocacy, including serving as Women and Non Binary Officer at the Students’ Union at King’s College, Cambridge, where she organised and chaired panel discussions on learning disabilities and discrimination. She has also held safeguarding roles within the Methodist Church in the North East.

She brings a strong focus on lived experience, inclusion and safeguarding to her role, helping to ensure services are shaped around the needs of patients and communities.

Appointed, December 8, 2025

Richard brings a combination of lived experience, strategic governance insight and digital innovation expertise to support the Trust’s long term transformation and oversight. He has held a range of non executive and advisory roles across health, policing, education and social justice.

He has experience working within regulated environments and in areas including digital transformation, financial governance and providing constructive challenge at board level.

Richard has also contributed to the Trust as a Lived Experience and Involvement Advisory Member, supporting policy development, digital strategy and improvements to patient experience.

The Chairman, on behalf of the Board of Directors, regularly reviews the size, composition, and succession planning of the Board in alignment with the Trust’s strategic objectives. Recommendations are made to the Council of Governors through the Nominations Committee as appropriate. The appointment and reappointment procedures for Non-Executive Directors, overseen by the Nominations Committee and Council of Governors, formally recognise the intention to address gender and ethnic minority imbalances within the Board, wherever feasible.