Board of Directors

Sir David Nicholson joined the Trust as Chair on 1 April 2023. This appointment saw he become Chair of all four acute Trusts in the Black Country – The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust.

Sir David Nicholson’s career in NHS management has spanned more than 40 years and includes the most senior posts in the service. He was Chief Executive of the NHS for seven years from 2006-2013 and then, following a major national restructure, became the first Chief Executive of the organisation now known as NHS England from 2013-2014.

Since his retirement from the NHS in 2014, he has taken on a number of international roles providing advice and guidance to governments and organisations focused on improving population health and universal healthcare coverage.

He has worked in China, Brazil, the USA, Europe and the Middle East, independently, and in association with the World Health Organisation, and World Bank. Sir David chaired the State Health Services organisation of the Republic of Cyprus and more recently was also the Chair of the Metropolitan Group of Hospitals, Nairobi.

Sir David is Chair of the Universal Health Coverage Forum of the World Innovation Summit for Health. Other roles include adjunct Professor of Global Health at the Institute of Global Health Imperial College, Advisor to the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin and Lancet Commissioner to Global Surgery.

His contribution to healthcare was recognised by the award of the CBE in 2008, and he was knighted by Her Majesty the Queen in 2010. He lives in Worcestershire with his wife and two children.

Joe became Group Chief Executive on 1 January 2025, joining The Royal Wolverhampton and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trusts from East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. There, she had been Chief Executive for just over four years and previously the Chief Operating Officer for the prior 4 years.

She started her NHS career working in Pharmacy at Eastbourne District General Hospital in 1989, building up vast NHS experience in Ambulance, Acute and Community Provider Trusts along with a period of time at the Strategic Health Authority in Kent, Surrey and Sussex.  She also spent 3 years as the Regional Director for London and South and East at Care UK, the UK’s largest independent provider of health and social care, overseeing a range of urgent care services including 111 and primary care.

Joe has also been Board Director at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust and Sussex Ambulance Service.

Executive director

Appointed August 2021, Chief Nursing Officer from July 2023

Voting position

Alan has a wide experience within the NHS, incorporating organisational development, learning and development, leadership and management development, as well as other HR related roles. He was appointed as the Group Chief People Officer in December 2022 following the grouping of Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust and The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. He joined the board of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust in April 2017 as the Director of Workforce and is also currently the SRO for Workforce, HR & OD for the Black Country Provider Collaborative.

Previously he has held the position of Director of HR and Organisational Development at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, where he had been for 5 years, with board level responsibility for a wide ranging workforce portfolio, as well as health and safety and business continuity. Prior to this, he was the Director of Workforce and Learning within the Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and at that time was also a director for Skills for Care, representing the NHS.

Prior to joining the NHS, Alan was in the Royal Air Force spanning a range of roles including avionics engineer, training and development, and leadership development. He holds membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Chartered Management Institute and holds an MSc in human resource development.

Dr Zia Din became the Chief Medical Officer at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust in December 2024.

Zia trained in Acute and General Internal Medicine and was a Consultant Physician at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust before joining Walsall. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) London. He has vast clinical and medical leadership experience working across different levels and in different health care systems. He is a proud Nye Bevanite since 2020 having successfully completed the Nye Bevan post graduate diploma in Executive Leadership from the Leadership Academy.

Zia has developed and implemented various transformation programmes both at organisational and system levels. He has nearly a decade of digital clinical leadership experience, which includes the complex integration of health information systems and implementation of various digital systems and solutions. Zia successfully completed his Digital Health Leadership Post graduate diploma from Imperial College London in 2023.

His keen interest and focus are integration of care aimed at improving patient care and outcomes, delivered closer to home. He has had the opportunity to lead the transformation of Urgent and Emergency care pathways within Staffordshire Integrated Care System through delivery of same day emergency care services and acute care at home community services.

Zia is passionate about raising standards of care to provide the best patient care, putting patients first and supporting an environment where our people can work to their highest abilities.

Originally appointed October 2020, Group Chief Strategy Officer since August 2022, Group Deputy Chief Executive since March 2025

Simon has worked in the health and care sector for 20 years and has held a number of senior management positions. His roles have covered: strategic and service-level planning, performance management, business development, transformation, and programme management. He holds a Masters Qualification in Business (MBA) from Aston Business School and an Honours Degree in Business Studies.

Immediately prior to joining the Trust, he was QIPP Programme Director for Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust, where he led on the transformation and planning agenda, working closely with GPs and primary care clinicians. He has also worked in corporate planning and scrutiny for a Local Authority and has led on a number of projects involving partnership working with primary, secondary and local government sectors.

Simon spent eight years working in various locations across the UK as a senior manager for Marks and Spencer and IKEA. During this time, he helped develop the 10-year growth strategy for IKEA UK and was a store manager for M&S.

He has a passion for organisational and personal development and has a post-graduate diploma in Human Resource Development and has recently become a Level 7 Executive Coach. He has lectured on Organisational Behaviour and Organisational Change for Staffordshire University, is a regular guest lecturer for the University of Wolverhampton, and works with Aston Business School on a range of collaborative projects.

Mr Stringer is a qualified accountant with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and holds a Masters qualification in Business Administration (MBA).With over 25 years of experience in the NHS, with 13 of those years as a Board Director, he has experience of commissioning and provider organisations.

His experience covers –

• Primary Care, Community Services and Commissioning (with successor organisations being Walsall CCG and Birmingham cross-city CCG)
• Secondary and Tertiary Care (at University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals)
• Specialist Secondary Care (Birmingham Childrens Hospital Foundation Trust where he helped the Trust secure FT status)
• Regional NHS Planning and Oversight (West Midlands Regional Health Authority)

His role is to provide professional advice to the Board and wider Trust to ensure delivery of the Board’s financial strategy, key statutory financial targets and ensure good internal control.

He is a member and advocate for Healthcare Financial Management (HFMA) having been a past Chairman of the West Midlands Branch where he is now the Treasurer.

Deputy Chair, Non-Executive Director
Appointed 1 October 2019

Paul is one of the most experienced and respected finance professionals working in healthcare in the UK. He was elected as National President of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), the leading professional body for finance staff working in UK healthcare, in December 2009 and has more than 25 years’ experience at board level in both the public and commercial sectors.

Doubly qualified as an accountant, with a University background in both economics and management, he trained and worked with Ernst & Young Co in the UK after graduation, before specialising in the healthcare and technology sectors.

Paul is a graduate of the Senior Managers Course at Insead (French Business School) and was one of the first FDs to be selected to join the elite NHS Top Leaders Programme in 2010. Paul has a broad portfolio of financial and business experience most recently as European CFO of the US transformational genomics provider Nant Health Inc. In the local NHS Paul has advised policy makers on transformational change through the NHS STP Programme and has also served as Director of Finance and Deputy Chief Executive of Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust. Before that he held similar positions at Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Birmingham City Hospital NHS Trust and a number of other board-level appointments in the NHS and private sector.

He is committed to the development of the next generation of healthcare leaders and holds the position of Senior lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton Business School and with others, founded the MBA qualification in Business & Finance for the HFMA Academy in 2017.

Qualifications:

• Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA)
• Qualified Member of Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)
• Fellowship of Healthcare Financial Management Association

Originally appointed October 2020, Group Chief Strategy Officer since August 2022, Group Deputy Chief Executive since March 2025

Simon has worked in the health and care sector for 20 years and has held a number of senior management positions. His roles have covered: strategic and service-level planning, performance management, business development, transformation, and programme management. He holds a Masters Qualification in Business (MBA) from Aston Business School and an Honours Degree in Business Studies.

Immediately prior to joining the Trust, he was QIPP Programme Director for Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust, where he led on the transformation and planning agenda, working closely with GPs and primary care clinicians. He has also worked in corporate planning and scrutiny for a Local Authority and has led on a number of projects involving partnership working with primary, secondary and local government sectors.

Simon spent eight years working in various locations across the UK as a senior manager for Marks and Spencer and IKEA. During this time, he helped develop the 10-year growth strategy for IKEA UK and was a store manager for M&S.

He has a passion for organisational and personal development and has a post-graduate diploma in Human Resource Development and has recently become a Level 7 Executive Coach. He has lectured on Organisational Behaviour and Organisational Change for Staffordshire University, is a regular guest lecturer for the University of Wolverhampton, and works with Aston Business School on a range of collaborative projects.

Dawn Brathwaite is a solicitor and former partner in a national law firm.  For the past 20 years she has advised NHS bodies including commissioners, providers, and healthcare regulators.  She retired from legal practice in May 2021 but continues as a consultant in a non-legal role with her firm.

Dawn is passionate about diversity and inclusion and has led many initiatives to increase the number of individuals from diverse and socially disadvantaged backgrounds within the legal profession, for which she has received several awards.  

Dawn is a former Trustee of Navigators UK and is a current member of the General Synod of the Church of England. 

Lisa joins the Board, bringing a wealth of experience gained in large, national and regional, health, social care and third sector organisations. Lisa has held senior leadership positions, both as an employee and in a charitable
trustee capacity, ensuring she brings a strong foundation in financial, business and operational planning, project evaluation and impact monitoring, amongst other expertise. Lisa is particularly skilled at developing partnerships across the voluntary and public sector, including the evolution of the VCSE Alliance as part of the development of Integrated Care Systems.

Lisa is CEO of Beacon Vision, having worked for the organisation since 2018, one of the region’s most established and well-known health and social care charities, where she has been in post for just over four years. Lisa has bought many positive improvements to the charity and is passionate about making a difference to the lives of people living with sight loss across the West Midlands. In addition to her unwavering dedication to Beacon’s charitable objectives, Lisa is committed to building long-term sustainability, actively seeking new ways to improve and develop increased integrated, cooperative and progressive health and social care systems to support beneficiaries.

Previous roles have included Deputy CEO of the Black Country Living Museum, where Lisa implemented significant change programmes, oversaw complex funding bids and projects of national heritage significance. Lisa has also been involved in complex projects during her time at organisations such as the RSPB and The British Horse Society, where she developed and implemented the charity’s national volunteer programme. A highlight from her earlier career includes a pivotal role in the redevelopment of the world’s first ‘skyscraper’ in Shrewsbury.

Lisa is originally from Wolverhampton, having returned after completing her degree at the University of Liverpool. Her personal interests include a passion for horses and horse riding.

Appointed February 2023

Dr Umar Daraz, PhD, is a Director of Innovation at Birmingham City University (BCU). Educated at Harvard University in Disruptive Innovation and Strategy, Umar holds a PhD in Polymer Chemistry and Engineering from Aston University, funded by Exxon Mobil Chemicals, Baytown Texas (USA).

His expertise spans more than 20 years in senior investment and research and development roles across the public, private, and UK government sectors. He has a track record in shaping, influencing and driving large-scale disruptive research, innovation and growth transformation programmes in the UK, EU, Singapore, and China. He has led on developing healthcare research and innovation programs: Bio-innovation campuses, Materials Innovation Factory, Sensor City, and a Telemedicine Digital 5G Healthcare Test bed.

Umar holds various positions: the sole research and innovation advisor on the River Severn Partnership board – a £240m net zero infrastructure programme. He is also the Birmingham local lead for the NASA Space Apps Challenge.

Prior to joining BCU, Umar worked at the University of Liverpool, UK Government – Department of Trade & Industry (DTI), and Venture Capital Investment. His skills are in advising on strategy and propositions in high-growth sectors, artificial intelligence, cyber security, digital productivity, robotics, data, healthcare, life sciences, net zero energy, and personalised medicine.

Umar is passionate about elevating research and innovation strategies that deliver service-oriented impact, with demonstrable step change outcomes and a reduction in health inequalities.

Umar enjoys walking in the hills, tending to his garden, and playing tennis.

Appointed February 2023

Fiona Allinson qualified as a nurse in the late 1980s and worked in a variety of settings including Surgery, Operating Theatres, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Emergency Department (ED). She held many roles before becoming a Sister on a Rehabilitation Ward. In 1999 she joined the private sector as a Matron of a private hospital before leaving to set up her own training and development business. During this time, she worked with further education settings to design and deliver the Registered Managers course.

Joining the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in 2005 as a part -time Inspector, Fiona rose through the organisation to become a Deputy Chief Inspector in the hospitals’ directorate. She left the CQC following a reorganisation and redefining of roles. However, she has always been a nurse at heart and returned to ICU during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fiona’s passion to ensure a high-quality service for patients led her to apply for the post of associate Non-Executive Director at Walsall Healthcare. As part of the regulating process for the Trust since she became part of the CQC, Fiona respects the integral part the organisation plays in the local community. She is very keen to be part of the journey of further improvement.

Appointed February 2022

As a registered nurse who trained at St Bartholomew’s Hospital London, Allison has had an extensive clinical and managerial career, focusing on improving quality, patient safety, patient experience, and clinical quality assurance. Coming through the ranks of the NHS over 40 years has brought experience across a range of NHS commissioning, acute and community trusts, and public health organisations.

Having had regulatory experience with the NHS Trust Development Authority, and more recently in her current role with NHS England and NHS Improvement as an Associate Director of Nursing and Quality, she supported the COVID-19 response with professional expertise in infection prevention and control and healthcare associated infections, leadership, and strategy.

Prior to retirement, Allison was the Deputy Director of Nursing and Quality for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent CCGs – providing clinical leadership, while contributing to the Board’s vision and strategy.

Allison was Chairman of the Royal Navy Registered Stafford Sea Scout Group and Vice Chair of St James Primary School, where her daughters attended. She voluntarily brought her NHS governance experience to both groups, and successfully steered both committees through their respective inspections.

Appointed Associate Non-Executive Director February 2022, Non-Executive Director from August 2022

Professor Martin Levermore MBE DL is a Visiting Professor for Health, Education and Life Science at Birmingham City University (BCU).

Martin is a founder and Chief Executive of Medical Devices Technology International Ltd (MDTi) and has been working with the NHS regionally and nationally over the past 18 years, to commercialise and bring to market innovative products and service ideas.

Martin has over 18 years at senior Board level in the life sciences sector and sits on the Executive Board of PIONEER as Commercial Adviser, whilst chairing the advisory board to Health Data Research UK (HDRUK).

Martin holds a Senior Associateship with the Royal Society of Medicine. He is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment, and Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts.

Martin is the independent person for the Windrush Compensation Scheme, reporting to the Home Secretary.

He was appointed in 2018 by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant, Sir John Crabtree OBE, as a Deputy Lieutenant to the West Midlands.

Appointed October 2019

Professor Louise Toner is a nurse, midwife and academic by professional background; she has a wealth of experience working with the NHS in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and within the higher education sector again across all countries, bar Northern Ireland. Since moving into higher education, she has maintained strong partnership working with colleagues within health and social care across all sectors; she is a member of the UK Universities Council of Deans.

In her current role Louise has responsibility for the faculty’s academic portfolio ensuring it is the right offering to meet the workforce needs of employers and the personal and professional development needs of qualified health and social care professionals. She represents the university on the Birmingham and Solihull Local Workforce Action Board and she is a member of their Education Partnerships Sub Group established to enable universities, NHS Trusts and other healthcare providers to work together to recruit and retain students to facilitate sufficient qualified staff entering the workforce. In addition, she is a member of the British Commonwealth Association (BCA), chairing their Education Sub Group and representing the BCA on the Greater Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce in Birmingham/West Midlands.

Louise has also worked for a hugely successful charity in the UK – Macmillan Cancer Support where she was responsible for an Education Development Programme for specialist nurses in Cancer and Palliative Care. She was previously Chair but is now Trustee of the Wound Care Alliance UK a charitable organisation who provide education and training for nonspecialist healthcare staff both qualified and unqualified in the field of Tissue Viability.

As a surgical ward sister in practice Louise has a special interest in cancer care – the subject of her Masters degree awarded by the University of Glasgow. Her interest in Wound Care led to her establishing the faculty’s Wound Healing Practice Development Unit of which she is the Director. This Unit delivers specialist workshops by our Professors in Wound Healing, undertaking product evaluations often in association with product manufacturers.

Louise’s remit within the faculty includes leading overseas activities as a result of which she has been privileged to visit a number of countries meeting with government officials, leading academics and professionals. Along with other colleagues, she is in the process of securing funds to assist developing countries in terms of their healthcare education needs that include caring for older people, primary care, stoma care and wound care.

Louise says she feels privileged to be associated with such an innovative and forward thinking Trust, keen to embrace the ways in which academia, research and clinical practice can all work together to improve the care of our patients and provide development opportunities for our staff.

Non-executive director
Appointed April 2021
Voting position

Mary Martin has senior executive experience in both the public and private sectors. Her business focus has included strategy, business risk assessment, team building, change management, quality management, investigations, controls and reporting. Financing activities cover bank refinancing, private equity, acquisitions and disposals of business and major assets and exit planning.

She currently runs her own small consultancy business having for four years been Pro-Vice Chancellor of Birmingham City University. Prior to this her career has included working with Advantage West Midlands; a private venture fund manager focussed on technology start-ups and she was a Partner with Arthur Andersen, one of the largest international accounting practices.

Mary was appointed a Non Executive Director at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in October 2024.
She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and Oxford University engineering graduate.

Appointed October 2019
Non-voting position

Sally Rowe has been a qualified social worker for 30 years, working across children’s and adults services in different types of local authorities and in frontline and management roles. She has also spent time as Her Majesty’s Inspector of local authorities and a senior manager within Ofsted. She is now Director of Children’s Services in Walsall, a Non-Executive Director of a Health Trust and a Trustee of a national charity Grandparents Plus.

Julian is a retired GP who qualified from Birmingham Medical School in 1984 and after junior jobs in South Birmingham, joined a practice in Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, where he stayed for all his clinical career.

During this time he was also on the Board of Wolverhampton CCG and previous commissioning organisations; he was prescribing lead for 15 years and was briefly an Associate Non-Executive Director at The Royal Wolverhampton Trust. His practice was one of the first practices to integrate with The Royal Wolverhampton Trust in June 2016. Since retiring from clinical practice he has remained an employee leading on Primary Care integration, supporting the eight General Practices that have now integrated with the Trust.