Operations Group

Nigel recently retired from Sefton CVS where he worked for 32 years as Deputy CEO. He joined CVS following a career in the Civil Service and Trade Unions, leading on campaigns to improve and defend the Welfare Benefits system.

Nigel has maintained his connection with the voluntary and community sector and is Chair of Trustees at Parenting 2000 and Brighter Living Partnership as well as  being a trustee at HomeStart , Independence Initiative and Regenerus. Close contact with these groups gives him a good understanding of many of the health and social care issues affecting residents across the borough.

He is enjoying his extra leisure time by walking, reading and is keeping his mind stimulated though membership of Southport University Extension Society.

Linda is the Healthwatch Sefton Locality Representative for South Southport. Prior to retirement Linda worked within the NHS as a Speech & Language Therapist and also as a Children’s Service Manager leading nursing, therapy and audiology teams.  

Linda has a keen interest in community-led preventative approaches to support health and well-being. She is  also passionate about reducing health inequalities especially for the most vulnerable members of our communities.

Anne is a retired Nurse/Midwife. She worked in the NHS caring for patients, relatives and teams within Nursing, Midwifery and Neonatal Care. Since retiring, Anne has done a variety of volunteer roles within Victim Support, Safeguarding and with her local hospital and GP Surgery.

She is the Locality Representative for Central Southport and Healthwatch Sefton Ambassador within several organisations including North West Ambulance Service, Liverpool Women’s Hospital and Southport and Ormskirk District General Hospital.

“I believe that no-one working in Health and Social Care would be in their job if it was not for the Patient or Family. I am therefore proud of the work that Healthwatch Sefton do listening to the public’s journeys through these services, with the aim of supporting the providers to improve that journey.”

Sophie is a practicing midwife with a passion for ensuring equitable access to high-quality health and social care services. After training at Teesside University, she worked in Liverpool for four years before undertaking agency work for a few years. This experience provided the opportunity to work across multiple hospitals and gain a first-hand understanding of the varying levels of care, especially for vulnerable groups. Sophie recently transitioned back into a substantive NHS midwife role.

Sophie said: “Motivated by my experiences, I’ve become a strong advocate for improving public health initiatives and health and social care services. I’m excited to use my experiences to help to represent the voices of residents and contribute to a more fair and robust healthcare system.”

This position is vacant, if you would like to apply see here.

Linda is the Healthwatch Sefton Locality Representative for Hightown and Ince Blundell.

After retiring, Linda volunteered with the Hightown Parish Council, becoming Chairman and presently Deputy Chairman. Linda currently runs the Altcar Community Centre and Library.

Before retiring, Linda worked for Barclays Bank in both Administration and Finance for a number of years and then trained as a Clinical Coder, whilst living in Ireland in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. 

Linda said of her joining Healthwatch Sefton:

“I joined Healthwatch Sefton to make a difference to my local community. Hightown has an ageing population and I wanted to make sure their voice is heard and to keep all residents informed regarding the services and help available in Sefton.”

This position is vacant, if you would like to apply see here.

This position is vacant, if you would like to apply see here.

Barbara is the Healthwatch Sefton Locality Representative for Bootle and is the Chair of Healthwatch Sefton South Sefton Community Champion Network.

Barbara, better known locally as the ‘Duchess of Bootle’, who last year won the Merseyside Women of the Year Community Change award for her tireless volunteer work over the last 45 years, including her roles as CEO of Bootle YMCA, Chair of Derby Park and Director of SAFE Community Homes CIC.

“I have volunteered in many roles over the years, initially when our children were at school, namely Governor, PTA’s and Scouts. I have been involved with Bootle YMCA for the last 46 years, and over the last 13 years, totally running it, with the help of Ken. Also for a similar time, volunteering in The Friends of Derby park. More recently as a bagger, in Bootle Action Group, helping to sort litter and our environment, with other volunteer roles in between. I have loved everything I have been involved in and have always done my best for every role I had.

I am really looking forward to taking charge of the role as Healthwatch Sefton’s Bootle locality representative.”

Carol started working in the NHS in 1989 as a part time receptionist at Bootle Health Centre, which was then a part of South Sefton Area Health Authority. Carol retired in March 2019 as the manager of Bootle Health Centre, plus various other sites across South Sefton. 

She has worked supporting many services in the community such as Podiatry, Dermatology, Audiology, Speech Therapy and also reception duties. In her manager’s role, Carol managed the receptionists, domestics and also the buildings. She was responsible for the building environment and also health and safety issues. 

Carol said: “My focus was always around the patients and their journey in accessing services which can sometimes be difficult to navigate. I have worked at Netherton Health Centre and have an understanding of the area and I will also incorporate Aintree Village which is where I live.”

Maurice is the Healthwatch Sefton locality representative for Maghull.

Maurice joined us in 2013, he is a dedicated member of our volunteer team, who always goes above and beyond in his role and is passionate about creating more opportunities for the public to express their views and experiences of their NHS (good or bad) to enable feedback to inform further development of their services.

Maurice has always been involved in his community and before retiring, he was a Deputy Head Teacher and until recently he was a local primary School Governor and a local Town Councillor. As a former chair of Aintree University Hospital Trust Governors, he has a comprehensive understanding of both our NHS health services and the data systems that inform the public.

Sharon is the Children and Families Development Office at Sefton CVS, Strategic Lead for Children, Young People and Families and Deputy Safeguarding Lead.  She has worked for Sefton CVS for 3 and a half years in this role.  Making a difference to the lives of children and young people is very important to Sharon and her role enables me to do this.  Previously working at Shelter (National Housing and Homelessness Charity) for 19 years, specialising in Crisis and Family Support and Service User Involvement.

Sharon represents the Every Child Matters Forum at Sefton CVS (which she chairs). The primary purpose of the forum is to support and develop a strategic approach to the delivery of services for children, young people and families in Sefton.  Sharon also chairs the Sefton Youth Voice Strategic Steering Group championing the voice of the child at all times.

Angela is the Healthwatch Director for Equalities.

Born and raised locally, Angela’s career started as a Trainee Town Planner in what is now Sefton Council. She then moved into the Department of Work and Pensions, in various locations within North West Region and Headquarters, the last ten years as a Senior Manager.

Job roles generating a wide experience in a range of Managerial functions encompassing delivery of Social Security Benefits, Estates, Training Development, Design and Presentation, and Equality and Diversity Champion.

Since retirement Angela joined Healthwatch Sefton and was appointed as the Patient Experience Lead at Aintree Hospital and led the development and delivery of the Patient Participation Group in her G.P. Practice.

Angela enjoys reading, tailoring and gardening and lives with her partner in Thornton.

Karen is the Chief Executive of Swan Women’s Centre.

I am the CEO for Sefton Carers Centre, a local charity providing information, advice and services for over 11,000 unpaid carers aged 5 years old and above living in Sefton.

I provide leadership to Sefton Carers Centre and am responsible for the management and administration of Sefton Carers Centre within the strategic and accountability frameworks laid down by the board of trustees. Together with the Chair, I enable the board of trustees to fulfil its duties and responsibilities for the governance of Sefton Carers and to ensure that the board receives timely advice and appropriate information on all relevant matters.

I worked in the private sector for over 13 years as a Senior Underwriter and Project development worker developing national strategies for business development into new markets. I have also developed new businesses for private companies to expand opportunities in franchise growth markets. Over the last 15 years I have worked for the voluntary sector, again developing new businesses and projects to support the needs of local community whilst working with local and national Government agendas in health and social care.

Ken has worked for various large international companies in the U.K. and overseas as an IT and change management project manager and for the last 10 years in employment as an Organisation & Development (OD) consultant. He then operated as an independent OD consultant for a further 10 years in business process improvement in the U.K. and the Middle East.

 By background, his first degree was in human and comparative physiology and anatomy. A module in Brain, biology and behaviour led him to a BSc (hons)  degree in cognitive and social psychology and he has used that as a framework in OD consultancy.

Since retiring 12 years ago from any form of full time employment, he does volunteering work for the RNLI; Chair of Trustees at Ainsdale Lunch and Leisure and Chair of Ainsdale Medical Centre ppg. He is also a member of the Healthwatch Sefton Enter & View teams and a member of the steering group representing  SPOC (Sefton Partnership for Older Citizens). One of the original members of Healthwatch Sefton and its predecessor, Sefton Link.

He is also in his final year of six as an elected NHS Governor at Lancashire & S. Cumbria Foundation Trust (LSCFT).

In his free time he plays crown green bowls and golf (both badly – his words).  With his wife, Ann, they still manage to travel to various places around the world.

Georgia is the Sefton Young Advisors Team Lead.

My name is Will Mullen. I am funny but also serious when I need to be. I go to People First Merseyside and get involved with all the work including training other companies to share the importance of people with a disability having a say. In People First I do the DAVID project, DNACPR and part of the Sefton Group.  I have 3 grandkids and love to go on adventures at the weekends with them.

Will represents as the co chair of the Sefton Learning Disability & Autism Co-production Board. 

I love everything about my role, speaking up for people with learning disabilities and telling people my opinions and how we can improve things, I like to be prepared and read the minutes before I attend I feel I can and do contribute to all the important issues in Sefton and feel I have learnt a lot and made close friends during this time.