Governors

Sarah has lived in Ashford for 24 years and has 35 years’ experience of nursing in the NHS. Since retiring three years ago she has continued to support KCHFT activities as both a volunteer and as a Patient Participation Partner.

As part of her volunteer role, Sarah has been instrumental in driving forward a pilot project to gain feedback from patients helping them to complete patient experience surveys, allowing this vulnerable group of patients the opportunity to a have a voice.

Sarah has also chaired the Patient Participation Council Governance meetings and says her aim is to make sure that the patient and carer’s voice is heard. In this role she has had the opportunity to review policies and procedures and make comments from a patient’s perspective.

She has also participated in a national research project using her knowledge of community nursing to advise on ways to deliver services in the community.

Sarah says she is an excellent listener, enjoys meeting people to hear their concerns and will be a good advocate for patients and their families.

Chris is a young dad, university lecturer and city councillor living in Whitstable. He has spent more than fifteen years working in housing and youth work charities and is vice chair of governors in the largest primary school in the district.

Over the last couple of years, he has helped coordinate the town’s response to the pandemic.

Chris says NHS services play a vital part in people’s lives but how they are run is complicated to most people. He’d like to help bridge the gap and help more people have their voice heard.

Chris aims to utilise the links he has built across the district supporting those with special educational needs, helping parents fight cuts to children’s services and as a co-ordinator of local warm spaces provision, to engage the trust with grassroots organisations providing a safety net for some of the most vulnerable in the community.

This position is vacant.

Carol has recently retired after forty years in the Civil Service. Now that she has some free time she wants to contribute more to organisations in South East Kent where she has lived and worked all her life. Her previous roles have included middle management responsibilities and strategic and tactical analysis. Carol says that she has seen the very best and not so good aspects of our local health services during a recent serious illness of an older close relative and her own on-going eye problems.

Carol says it important that transparent communication between the trust, NHS management and the public is of the utmost importance at all times. Carol is committed to representing the members in Dover and Deal to ensure that all concerns are dealt with fairly and efficiently.

Penny has lived in the Folkestone and Hythe district for 15 years and is involved with several community organisations including Shepway U3A, Hythe Environmental Community Group and Kent Community Energy.

She co-founded Ageing without Children, East Kent which supports and advocates for the increasing number of people ageing without adult children or other close family.

In recent years she has acted as a consumer advocate to providers of essential services in a number of community roles.

Penny is now retired and lives with long-term health conditions and has most recently used the trust’s services for recovery.

Before retirement, Lea was a senior officer with Bexley Council, working with teachers and unions in local education. After retirement, he represented patients views as chair of the Patient Participation Group at his local medical centre for three years.

He remains as a champion and is serving as a patient representative on the Darent Valley Hospital Patient Engagement Committee with active involvement in their ward accreditation programme.

Having previously served as public governor, elected Deputy Lead Governor for Dorset Healthcare Trust, and Governor for the South East Coast Ambulance Service, Alison feels her experience and passion for public engagement and communication ideally fits the public governor role.

Her priority is to help her local community to recover and respond to the aftermath of the last couple of years.

Gill is a human resource professional, qualified in cognitive behavioural therapy and psychotherapy and was a personal coach working in London for many years. Gill also sat on a pension trustee board and was involved in organisation, strategic planning, finances and representing others interests.

Gill has been a Magistrate in Sevenoaks for 10 years, volunteered with Citizens Advice specialising in legal matters and also at Sevenoaks Hospital, visiting patients on the wards and supporting with administration and patient surveys.

Gill is interested in supporting local communities particularly around dementia care.

Jide is a seasoned professional with a career spanning more than two decades in the private sector. With expertise in management, operations, finance, and compliance, Jide has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence and a passion for making a difference.

Throughout his career, Jide has successfully navigated the intricate landscape of the private sector, gaining invaluable insights into the dynamics of various industries. His multi-faceted experience has honed his ability to strategize, implement efficient systems, and foster a culture of compliance and transparency.

What sets Jide apart is his unwavering dedication to bridging the gap between the NHS and the individuals who rely on its services. Recognising the significance of patient experience and equality, Jide’s involvement with the Patient Experience and Equality Committee at KCHFT showcases his commitment to advocating for the rights and needs of the community.

Jide’s exceptional listening skills enable him to connect deeply with patients and members of the public, ensuring their voices are heard and their concerns addressed. His empathetic nature and genuine desire to understand the experiences of others position him as a true advocate and a reliable conduit between the community and the healthcare institution.

With an ardent belief in the power of collaboration and dialogue, Jide embraces his role as a representative of the people, ready to carry their perspectives and insights to the board of KCHFT. His goal is to facilitate a harmonious relationship between the NHS and its users, fostering an environment of mutual understanding and continuous improvement.

Jide’s journey is characterised by his professional acumen, his dedication to inclusivity, and his unyielding commitment to enhancing the healthcare experience for all.

This position is vacant.

Retired nurse and teacher Ruth is committed to the role of governor. Her enthusiasm and energy is dedicated to delivery of safe, appropriate and effective care to all who use health services. She believes this is achieved through involvement and education of staff and service users, and the professional development of the workforce.

Ruth’s second interest is workforce planning as “it is important we recruit, support, develop and retain sufficient staff at all levels to deliver a high level of care’’.

Ruth has served on and chaired committees; she is willing and able to ask questions, take on challenges and report back. Her experience in local schools made her aware of healthcare needs of young people, as well as the wider population. She is particularly interested in the link between mental and physical health and patients near end of life.

Ruth hopes to use feedback from patients, families and staff in her role.

This position is vacant.

This position is vacant.

This position is vacant.

Jan has worked in the NHS since 1976; starting her career as a nursing auxiliary at Sevenoaks Hospital. She qualified as a state enrolled nurse in 1981.

Jan’s passion then was A&E. She worked at the Kent and Sussex Hospital for many years. During that time, she became registered nurse and then qualified as a nurse practitioner, before hanging up her uniform and moving into emergency planning in 2009.

In her spare time, Jan volunteers as a custody suite visitor, sings in a choir and is trustee of a charity, which focuses on people who may not have had the opportunities to sing together.

Maria-Loukia has worked in children’s therapies for the past 12 years, including Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust since it was created in 2011.

She started her career as a speech and language therapist and has worked her way up to become a clinical manager for children’s therapies.

Maria-Loukia believes her years of experience have made her appreciate the demands and pressures, as well as the rewards and benefits for service users and staff.

She is passionate about making sure accessible, high-quality care is always offered and that the trust works to establish effective collaborations with stakeholders.

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