As a local resident for more than 15 years and a Mum of four children, I know the Chelsea and Westminster hospital well. My family and I have experienced its excellent professional medical care, including during the joy of giving birth.
Being a governor is a great opportunity to give something back to the hospital for everything from which my family and I have been so lucky to benefit. I am a pharmacist and I come from a family with a deep interest in improving people’s health. My father and grandfather are both doctors in Medicine. I have a deep passion for patient care. I believe my professional background, combined with my personal experience as a patient, a daughter and a mother, could contribute and help the Trust deliver and execute successful long term plans, helping medical professionals to deliver the best clinical care for patients within the financial budget. Being a Governor will be a privilege. It is a great opportunity to be involved, to support and influence the strategic objectives for a Trust in which I so passionately believe, with a strong focus on patient needs.
Ian Dalton
The reason I put myself forward as Governor was to in some way say ‘thank you’ to Chelsea Westminster for the safe arrival of my children, as well as my own experience as a patient. I am hugely grateful to everyone involved and for the care received, and I hope to be able to offer something back.
Professionally I have long been involved in the area of public health. I currently work at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on global health issues, work closely with the World Health Organisation and I am currently a Board Member of Unitaid (the WHO’s ‘health innovation’ partner). And before this I held roles at the UK’s Medicines Agency (the MHRA) and other international institutions working on issues related to human health.
I also have long-standing links to the area (as far back as university) and understand the importance and standing of the Trust in the community. It is a genuine privilege to become a Governor and to support such important work.
Christopher Digby-Bell
I am an award winning lawyer, businessman and disability rights champion. I have won recognition for my work from UNICEF, Liberty, Justice and the Lord Chief Justice. My youngest son William is severely disabled so I understand the vital importance of good healthcare. I have been a trustee of charities like Scope and Contact a Family and a governor of a special school. I am a trustee of Victim Support and the Law Society Charity.
I want to give back to the hospital to benefit its patients and staff. I understand the concerns of nurses having represented a nursing agency providing staff to the NHS. I intend to use my skill and experience as a lawyer to be an effective voice for patients.
Minna Korjonen
I am a professional working in education and the consultation field, and volunteering in our communities across the borough.
My passion lies with those most vulnerable—disabled, children and elderly. These people have always been the driving factor for me. That passion has taken me to represent them to various committees and boards in both health and social care and housing sector locally and nationally—and now extensively as a Governor of the Council of Governors of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. I have advocated and represented vulnerable people for the past years and together we have achieved improvements and changes to the services, also ensured their voice is heard around the tables where the decisions are made. This work continues, and I warmly welcome you to participate in my team—please get in touch with me via the Board Governance Manager at 020 3315 6716 and you are in! And also have your say and input to your and other people’s care and services in our hospitals and its clinics.
Fiona O'Farrell
I served as a public governor previously at the Trust, and having then been a patient I decided to put myself forward again, this time as a patient governor.
The NHS is a unique organisation that provides care, free at the point of need, for patients across our communities, and I believe that it is essential that the NHS puts the needs of patients at the core of everything it does. I wanted to use what I have learned from my time as a patient to help develop and improve services and advocate for others.
I have a particular interest in health service provision for women and access to healthcare for those of us who are going through the menopause. It can be challenging to find accurate information, treatments and medication and I am extremely grateful for having been referred to the menopause clinic operated by the trust. The governor board offers a valuable opportunity for those who use the services of the Trust to play a part in making sure it continues to provide the services needed by communities. I work in communications and reputation management, and I believe my professional skills bring benefits to the role of Governor as I have extensive experience in ensuring any issues are dealt with in a professional and wholly transparent manner.
