Who's Who: The Trust Board
The Trust is managed overall by a Trust Board consisting of Non-Executive and Executive Directors, chaired by Professor Thomas Hanahoe.
» View an Organisational Chart
The Executive Team
The Executive Team is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Trust in accordance with the Trust's policy and national, statutory or other relevant guidance. The Executive Directors are full-time employees of the Trust. It is a requirement that the Board has a Chief Executive, Director of Finance, Director of Nursing, Medical Director, and one other, who are eligible to vote. It may also appoint additional Board members to cover other functions, but they will not be voting members of the Board.
The Non-Executive Directors
The Non-Executive Directors are drawn from the local community and are appointed by a special Appointments Commissioner who selects them following advertisements in the local press. Generally, Non-Executive Directors are selected with a view to representing the cultural, ethnic and business composition of the local community. They are expected to bring the community's perspective to the management of the Trust and to provide an independent overview of the work of the Trust's Executive functions.
Chairman and Non-Executive Directors
Prof. Thomas Hanahoe
Chairman
Professor Hanahoe was appointed Chairman of the Trust in Dec 2005 at which time he retired from the University of Hertfordshire. He joined the University (previously Hatfield Polytechnic) as Director of Studies in Biological Sciences in 1985. In 1988 he became the foundation Dean of the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences and was appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University in 1991. Alongside his academic role, Professor Hanahoe was also the Chairman of UH Hospitality Ltd and Unisecure Ltd, as well as being a Director of Polyfield Property Ltd, Hertfordshire e-Learning partnership and Hertfordshire Careers Services. In addition to his work at the Trust, he is currently a member of the Board of Governors of North Hertfordshire College.
Katharine Charter
Non-Executive Director and vice Chairman
Katharine Charter was previously a Marketing Director at Whitbread Plc before giving up full time work to bring up her young family. She devotes a lot of her time and expertise to local health and educational matters, most recently as a Non-Exec at Dacorum Primary Care Trust and Chair of her local pre school.
Mahdi Hasan
Non-Executive Director
Mahdi, as a mechanical engineer, had an extensive career in project management in the oil and gas industry both in UK and abroad. After retirement, he has continued as an independent consultant within that industry. He was appointed a non-executive director on 1 July 2006. He lives in St Albans and has been a volunteer driver for the Trust since April 2004. Mahdi has also advised in a local school for the Young Enterprise scheme.
Sarah Connor
Non-Executive Director
A Chartered Accountant, Sarah has enjoyed a career in financial accounting and senior finance management to FD level in a number of organisations and commercial companies including HM Revenue & Customs and Kodak, having started her career with Arthur Young (now Ernst & Young). For the past two years Sarah has been the Line of Business Finance Director for Enforcement & Compliance in HM Revenue & Customs.
Chris Green
Non-Executive Director
A career railway man, with extensive experience of senior posts in both nationalised and private sector, Chris was Chief Executive of Virgin trains until 2004 and Non-Executive Chairman in 2004/05. Chris has also more than ten years' experience as a Non-Executive Director on large private rail company Boards. He has also been an adviser to the House of Commons Select Committee, a Trustee with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Liverpool and is currently Vice Chair of Herts Visual Arts Forum. As MD Network SouthEast Chris brought disparate railways together to form the new brand for London and led 30,000 staff through the culture change.
Phil Townsend
Non-Executive Director
Phil has worked for over 20 years leading highly complex and very large business transformations in the fast moving and constantly evolving Telecommunications industry. Phil is a senior leader in BT's Design and Innovation division and specialises in customer driven IT change. He lives in St Albans where he is also school governor.
Robin Douglas
Non-Executive Director (Co-opted)
Robin was a fellow of the King's Fund and a consultant at the National Institute for Social Work. Until 2003 he was a director of the Office for Public Management, and is now an independent organisation development specialist working in the public services. He was Chair of both the national Health & Social Care Advisory Service and the Who Cares? Trust, a charity providing support for looked after children.
Chief Executive and Executive Directors
Jan Filochowski
Chief Executive
Senior NHS management adviser and hospital turnaround specialist Jan Filochowski joined West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust as the Chief Executive on 6 November, 2007. Mr Filochowski has a strong track record in the NHS, providing expert leadership and support to several acute Trusts and Primary Care Trusts, as well as working for the Department of Health and the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit on issues such as infection control and waiting times.
Chris Pocklington
Chief Operating Officer
Chris has more than 20 years' NHS experience and has worked in a number of acute hospitals. Most recently he was Chief Executive at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow for approximately four years before joining West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust in October 2010.
Dr Colin Johnston
Medical Director and Director of Patient Safety
Colin has worked as a Consultant in General Medicine, Diabetes and Endocrinology in the Trust for 20 years. Colin qualified at Cambridge University via St George's London and undertook his clinical training in London at St George's, Kings College and Hammersmith hospitals and his research training as MRC research fellow at Kings College Hospital and MRC travelling fellow to Seattle USA. Colin has always been interested in service design and delivery and was Clinical Director of Medicine from 1994 - 2002 and more recently as clinical lead for the speciality in the Trust and clinical champion for diabetes for west Hertfordshire.
Anna Anderson
Director of Finance
Anna joined the Trust as Finance Director in January 2010. A qualified accountant she has over 20 years' experience in the NHS and has held director level posts responsible for finance, performance, information and IT in a variety of acute hospitals and a Primary Care Trust. Most recently Anna was Finance Director at the Homerton Hospital, a Foundation Trust Hospital in Hackney. She has also spent three years running the Peace Hospice in Watford so is familiar with Watford and the west Hertfordshire area. Anna enjoys gardening, travel to unusual destinations, keeping fit and cooking in her spare time.
Natalie Forrest
Director of Nursing
Natalie has been a nurse for over twenty years and her clinical background is as an intensive care nurse working in numerous units across London. Prior to taking up the post of Director of Nursing and Midwifery at Newham University Hospitals in January 2008, Natalie was Deputy Director of Nursing and led on some significant quality improvement initiatives.
Mark Vaughan
Director of Workforce
Mark has worked in Human Resources for 20 years, 13 of which have been in the NHS in both community and acute sectors. Prior to moving to West Hertfordshire, Mark was Director of HR and Corporate Affairs at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, a post he held for 10 years. In his current role Mark has responsibility for the HR function that includes workforce development and planning, recruitment and retention, occupational health services and health and safety.
Liz Rippon
Director of Communications
Liz has worked with and in the Trust since 2002. Her background is in service redesign, health planning and whole system transformation. Prior to joining the Trust Liz worked in both the community and social care sectors as a commissioner, management consultant and senior manager. Liz joined the NHS in 1995 and was a graduate management trainee. In her current role Liz is the Trust's Project Director for the Foundation Trust application and has responsibility for Communications.
Paul Jenkins
Director for Partnerships
Paul joined the Trust in 2012 having extensive NHS and management consultancy experience. Previously he was Managing Director of the Commissioning Partnership of North West London PCTs when he became Chief Operating Officer for NHS North West London. Prior to April 2009 he was Deputy Chief Executive/ Director of Service Development at Westminster Primary Care Trust.
Louise Gaffney
Interim Director of Strategy and Infrastructure
Louise is the interim Director of Strategy and Infrastructure, and has responsibility for Estates, Facilities and Capital Planning. She is also the Programme Director for the site rationalisation. Louise has worked in the NHS in Hertfordshire for over 15 years with a career spanning the Health Authority, Ambulance Trust and both primary and secondary care. Her expertise is in strategic health planning, and in the successful delivery of complex programmes where she has won a number of national awards.
