The Trust Board

The Chair is responsible for the overall conduct of the Trust. He appoints and reviews the performance of the Chief Executive and both the Chief Executive and the Chair appoint and review the performance of other Executive and Associate Directors. The Chair and Chief Executive have key roles in leading the external and public relationships of the Trust and in establishing the appropriate internal environment.

Tony Oakman, Interim Chair

Tony, who was previously a Non Executive Director at UHMBT, has agreed to cover the Interim Chair role from 1 January 2025 while our Council of Governors continue the recruitment process for a new Trust Chair.

Tony has forty years of public service. Having acquired a degree and post graduate degree at Lancaster University, he qualified as a social worker. He has over 22 years of Corporate Board experience and has operated in some of the most challenging urban areas of the country, both in local Government and the NHS. 

Previously he was Chief Executive of Bolton Council where he led the Transformation strategy of the Council and development of a place-based Vision for Bolton - 'Active Connected and Prosperous'. A more inclusive and creative approach with partners developed an innovative integrated care model with the local acute trust, strong third sector developments and economic regeneration including the Medical Science School Bolton. With a focus for improvement under his tenure Bolton Children services were assessed as Good and Criminal Justice Services Good with Outstanding features. 

As a person he is characterised by his motivation, energy and authentic approach matched with his passion to work and make a positive difference with teams of similar type people.  

Executive Assistant - Cara Berriman
Email: Cara.berriman@mbht.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01539 715296, EXT 45296

The Non-Executive Directors provide support, advice and other specialist skills to the Trust and the Board. They are responsible for ensuring that the interests of the local community are represented and, with the Chair, for monitoring the executive management of the organisation.

Jalibani Ndebele, Non-Executive Director

Jalibani works for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in Wales as Director of Operations. Jalibani is a leader with extensive healthcare experience at regional and local level. His prior role was for NHS England as a Lead for Specialised Services leading a dynamic team in delivering services across the NW region and wider specialised commissioning portfolio to translate and deliver specialised models of care across the region. Jalibani's aHUS team (The National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre) won the Bright Ideas in Health Award for Research Delivery Impact in 2018.

Executive Assistant - Cara Berriman
Email: Cara.berriman@mbht.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01539 715296, EXT 45296

Amin Kamaluddin, Non-Executive Director

An experienced senior director Amin possesses a diverse 25- year career within FTSE100 and global blue-chip organisations spanning the pharma, medical, FMCG industries. Combining expertise in global procurement, supply chain, manufacturing, product development, go-to-market strategy. Amin focuses on formulation and implementation of value creation strategies helping deliver organisational transformation supporting sustainable growth and tangible benefit. A track record of achieving year on year growth for key stakeholders and shareholders alike. Amin holds an MBA from a top 4 UK Management School, is professionally accredited by The Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply and has a BA Hons in Accounting & Finance. Amin serves as a Trustee for a Blackburn based charity, is the Institute of Directors Ambassador for Lancashire, business mentor for Lancashire County Council Boost programme and business degree student mentor at The Manchester Metropolitan University.

Executive Assistant - Cara Berriman
Email: Cara.berriman@mbht.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01539 715296, EXT 45296

Alison Cole, Non-Executive Director
RGN, BSc (hons), MSc

Alison has 40 years’ experience in health care, most recently within NHS England as Deputy Director of Nursing & Quality. Alison trained as a Nurse & Midwife and worked at UHMB from 1992-2007 as a Midwife and general manager.

She also spent five years at AQUA (Advancing Quality Alliance) as Head of the Academy focussing on Continuous Quality Improvement and facilitating improvement collaboratives. Alison is passionate about patient safety and continuous improvement and is keen to support UHMB in their improvement journey.

Executive Assistant - Cara Berriman
Email: Cara.berriman@mbht.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01539 715296, EXT 45296

Carrie Cobb, Associate Non-Executive Director

Carrie joined the Board in March 2023 as an Associate Non-Executive Director. She has been a registered nurse since 2001, and has worked as an ACP clinically previously . She is now a Deputy chief nurse / AHPs at FCMS, and therefore has extensive senior clinical leadership expertise. She also has expertise in commissioning , governance and in Quality improvement as a Quality lead at CCG level , and safeguarding lead expertise.  She completed an Msc in Healthcare leadership with the NHS leadership academy and gained an EGA award . She was awarded a Queens nurse award for her leadership and innovation work in hospital avoidance . She also supports a voluntary organisation as a trustee on the board ,and enjoys giving a voice to underrepresented communities. 

Carrie has worked in General practice for a large part of her career , working with her local PCN as board nurse lead , and now overseeing a range of services such as urgent, out of hours and primary care services.

Executive Assistant - Cara Berriman
Email: Cara.berriman@mbht.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01539 715296, EXT 45296

Karen Deeny, Non-Executive Director and Deputy Chair

Karen joined the Board as a Non-Executive Director in July 2022. She started her career as a speech and language therapist and has over 40 years experience across health, social care and education organisations and systems locally, regionally and nationally. Her work as a clinician, senior leader, researcher and author has been driven by an enduring passion for working with and learning from patients and staff to improve people’s experiences and outcomes of care.

Karen has completed the NHS Top Leaders programme, holds a PhD in healthcare improvement and is an Institute of Leadership and Management qualified executive coach and mentor, She now works independently supporting a range of statutory, voluntary and charitable organisations with their assurance and improvement programmes.

Executive Assistant - Cara Berriman
Email: Cara.berriman@mbht.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01539 715296, EXT 45296

Sarah Rees, Non-Executive Director and Deputy Chair

Sarah is Head of Stakeholder Relations at Lancaster University, leading the development and delivery of stakeholder engagement activity, with a particular focus on civic and community engagement. She facilitates relationship building with a range of organisations locally, regionally and nationally, building understanding and making connections between partners and the University, for mutual benefit.

Sarah is the University lead for the Public and Community Engagement perspective of the national Knowledge Exchange Framework and the Civic University Network, to which Lancaster is a signatory. Sarah was the University’s Appointed Governor on the Council of Governors of University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Foundation Trust from 2018-2021, before joining the Board as Non-Executive Director in September 2021. She served as Chair of the System Design Authority for Bay Health & Care Partners from 2021-2023.

Executive Assistant - Cara Berriman
Email: Cara.berriman@mbht.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01539 715296, EXT 45296

Mike Wilson, Associate Non-Executive Director

I'm Mike Wilson, based in Kendal, and I've been fortunate enough to live and work in this area all my life. As an Associate Non-Executive Director, my role involves supporting the board of the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay in delivering high-quality healthcare to our local population.

I collaborate closely with other Non-Executive Directors and stakeholders to ensure that the board's decisions reflect the needs and concerns of our community. Living within the community, I am acutely aware of the impact that the Trust's level of care has on individuals, their families, and the community at large. Therefore, I am committed to enhancing the quality of services provided by the Trust.

Since the Health and Care Act 2022 came into force on July 1st, I have been working with the board, first as a Governor and now as an Associate Non-Executive Director, to help integrate our care systems and the services our hospitals offer with those of the surrounding trusts. This integration allows us to assist Trusts that may need support in certain areas whilst seeking help in areas where we can improve.

As an Associate Non-Executive Director, I hope to contribute to the New Hospitals Programme, which aims to improve hospital provision within the geographical area covered by our Trust. I can be contacted at mike.wilson@mbht.nhs.uk

Executive Assistant - Cara Berriman
Email: Cara.berriman@mbht.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01539 715296, EXT 45296

Nicola Haywood-Cleverly, Non-Executive Director

Nicola brings to the Trust a wealth of experience from implementing large-scale, complex change, often digitally enabled, to deliver improvements and transformation across a breath of public sector organisations. With a background in engineering, Nicola is a respected digital leader and has worked as a Chief Digital and Information Officer in the NHS and policing. She is known for her passionate advocacy of good digital design and usability, for being an innovative problem solver, and her application of whole system thinking to the use of data and artificial intelligence.

Having also been a university governor, school governing body chair and deputy chair of a national technology council,  Nicola has board level expertise in strategy development, change governance, performance oversight, resourcing and investment, risk and assurance. She balances her public appointments, which include being on the Board at South Lakes Housing and other NHS Trusts, with her work as strategy and policy advisor to the health tech industry.

Nicola has a lifelong relationship with the region, is neurodiverse and has lived experience of being a carer and one parent families. She will seek to assure the diverse needs of local communities are met, that people receive the best quality care wherever they chose to access this, that health inequalities are met and the most vulnerable in society are protected. 

Nicola is married with three grown-up sons, one of whom is a doctor working in pre-admission emergency medicine, and is happiest outdoors walking with her dogs.

Executive Assistant - Cara Berriman
Email: Cara.berriman@mbht.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01539 715296, EXT 45296

Keith Andrew Robertson, Associate Non-Executive Director

Keith is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and an experienced director, leading multidisciplinary teams within Health and Social Care. He has a deep-rooted passion for people and a proven track record in strategic governance, stakeholder engagement and regulatory compliance. He has over 20-year experience as a Registered Manager and Responsible Individual with the Care Quality Commission.

In a career spanning over 35 years Keith has worked at the intersection of Health and Social Care policy and patient advocacy at a local and National Level to ensure the highest standards of Health and Care are delivered to all individuals within our communities. Keith has combined his work as a director with lecturing in higher and further education, helping to educate the next generation of health and social care professional.

His extensive experience in leading diverse teams, coupled with a keen understanding of the evolving healthcare landscape, equips him to support the drive for positive change and continuous improvement. Keith is dedicated to promoting transparency, inclusivity, and excellence in healthcare, with a primary focus on improving patient outcomes and fostering an open culture.

Keith currently supports a range of statutory, voluntary and charitable organisation within the Northwest of England.

Executive Assistant - Cara Berriman
Email: Cara.berriman@mbht.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01539 715296, EXT 45296

The Chief Executive is the accountable officer to Parliament and is responsible for ensuring that the organisation works effectively in accordance with national health policy, public service values and maintenance of financial control. The Chief Executive is also personally accountable for clinical and corporate governance. The Chief Executive is directly accountable to the Board for ensuring that its decisions are implemented.

Aaron Cummins

Aaron was appointed Chief Executive of the Trust in March 2018 after first joining us in January 2014 as Director of Finance / Deputy Chief Executive.

Before joining UHMBT, Aaron was the Director of Finance / Deputy Chief Executive of Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust – a role he was appointed to in June 2012. Prior to that, he was Director of Finance at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (LHCH).

Aaron started his career in the NHS as a National Graduate Trainee in 2000 and held a number of senior management positions in the finance function before being appointed as Director of Finance at LHCH in August 2009.

Aaron has  also held a number of national roles including chair of the Foundation Trust Network Finance Directors’ Forum and the Government Procurement Services (GPS) Customer Board, as well as being a member of the National Procurement Council.

Business Support Manager
Victoria James
Victoria.james@mbht.nhs.uk
T: 01539 716695

The Executive and Associate Directors, led by the Chief Executive, are responsible for the overall management of the Trust. This includes the delivery of services, the management of staff and resources and the development of Trust's strategic direction. The Executive and Associate Directors have individual responsibilities and provides leadership for specific areas of work.

Tabetha Darmon
Chief Nursing Officer

Tabetha Darmon joined UHMBT as Chief Nursing Officer on 1 May 2023 from Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust where she was Executive Director of Nursing, AHPs and Quality. Nottinghamshire Healthcare has more than 9,000 members of staff, and provides integrated healthcare services, including mental health, intellectual disability and physical health services in a variety of settings ranging from the community through to acute wards, as well as secure settings.  

Tabetha is a registered Mental Health Nurse, who holds a BA (Hons) in Applied Youth and Community Work, a post graduate diploma in Management, post grad (cert) in Health Promotion, Risk and Society, Prince2 project Management and an MBA. She has more than 30 years’ leadership experience at a local and national level. 

Executive Assistant
Georgina Barber
Georgina.Barber1@mbht.nhs.uk
T: 01539 716697

Helen Cobb
Interim Chief Financial Officer

Helen joined UHMBT as Director of Finance in 2022 and has been fundamental in leading on transformational programmes for the Trust during this time as well as the development and implementation of our financial strategy and sustainability plans.

As well as her extensive financial leadership experience, Helen has a strong track record in leading transformational programmes and draws on these skills in the development and implementation of our financial strategy and sustainability plans. She is a Fellow of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants and has a huge passion for finance skills development. Helen is also part of the North West Women in Leadership network. 

Business Support Manager
Sharon Myers
sharon.myers@mbht.nhs.uk
T: 01539 716696

Alison Balson
Chief People Officer

Alison, known as Ali, has worked in Human Resources in the NHS for more than 20 years and has deep rooted connections to UHMBT having been born at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and still has family living in the area. 

Ali is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and has an MA in Human Resources Management. She also co-chairs the NHS NW HR Director network, where she is currently leading regional work on colleague well-being, and is a member of several national advisory groups.

Executive Assistant
Jane Frill
Jane.Frill@mbht.nhs.uk
T: 01539 715223

Caroline Brock
Interim Chief Medical Officer 

Since joining the Trust as an Emergency Medicine Consultant in 2017, Caroline has been the Director for Undergraduate Medical Education and most recently, Deputy Medical Director, with a portfolio in Education, Research, Innovation and Workforce with successes in leading teams in the Trust and regionally.  

Her passion for the outdoors, the community and sport led her to becoming the Medical Officer at a local Mountain Rescue Team, and keen supporter and marshal for the local sporting events. She is a keen runner and regularly walks with her family and two labradors. 

Caroline is looking forward to the challenge and opportunities this interim role will offer, while we work towards sustainable and meaningful change. As a practicing consultant she will role model our values of compassion, respect, inclusivity, ambition and openness, as we build our future together. 

Executive Assistant
Linda Kaplan
Linda.Kaplan@mbht.nhs.uk 
T: 01539 716666

Scott Mclean
Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive

Scott joined UHMBT in July 2022. He trained as a nurse in 1992 in Fife, Scotland, and then spent the next 15 years of his career working in Cardiology in Fife, Edinburgh and Dublin. Having completed his PhD in the pre-hospital care of acute coronary syndromes, Scott moved to London in 2010 to take up post as Divisional Director of Nursing at Barts Health NHS Trust.  

In 2013, Scott moved back to NHS Fife and was Executive Chief Nurse there before making the switch to become Chief Operating Officer. Scott then moved to Cardiff, Wales, where he was initially Director of Children and Women's Services before becoming Managing Director of the University Hospital of Wales. 

The role of the Chief Operating Officer is critical to ensuring consistent quality care for our patients. An effective Chief Operating Officer combines broad operational knowledge with strategic planning; experience which Scott clearly possesses. 

Executive Assistant
Lucy Curwen
Lucy.Curwen@mbht.nhs.uk
T: 01539 715347

Louise Jones
Director of Communications and Engagement 

 Louise has over 20 years’ communications and public relations experience and has spent the last 16 years in various communications role within UHMBT, including leading the Trust’s response to various reports, interventions from regulators, high profile cases and inquests, leadership changes, and publication of national investigations. She has extensive experience in internal communications, media relations, stakeholder engagement, crisis management and events; and was responsible for the development and roll out of the ‘We are UHMBT’ brand.

Previously the Trust’s Assistant Director of Corporate Affairs, Louise has led the Corporate Communications team for the last seven years. The Director of Communications and Engagement is a newly created role following a reorganisation of the previous Corporate Affairs portfolio, and the subsequent removal of the Director of Corporate Affairs and Assistant Director of Corporate Affairs roles.

As the new Director of Communications and Engagement, Louise will be a member of the Trust Board and have responsibility and accountability for all aspects of corporate communications and stakeholder engagement, the Bay Hospitals Charity and Freedom of Information. She will also lead the delivery of the recently approved Trust Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Strategy.

Dr Sarah Hauxwell
Interim Director of Governance and Assurance

Sarah has had several leadership roles at UHMBT including lead cancer clinician, Clinical Director for Core Clinical Services, SRO for the COVID vaccination Programme and Associate Medical Director for the Recovery Support Programme.  

In these roles Sarah has been involved in: 

• The development and delivery of corporate and clinical governance, including committee structures and organisational policies.  

• Compliance with regional and national requirements around both the vaccination programme and the transition out of the recovery support programme 

Paul Jones
Company Secretary

Paul joined UHMBT in May 2013. Paul is a qualified Company Secretary with extensive experience of corporate governance. Before joining the NHS he held several senior leadership roles in local authorities across the North of England and Yorkshire.

Bongi Gbadebo, Divisional Director for the Medicine, Emergency Care and Children’s Services (MECCS) Division

Bongi started her career in the NHS as a Registered General Nurse at Burnley General Hospital and as a Senior Nurse at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. Having gained extensive clinical and patient flow experience, Bongi transitioned to operational roles initially as Head of Patient Flow then Directorate Manager before becoming Assistant Director of Operations for Urgent and Emergency Care during her 7 years at St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospital. 

Bongi joined the Trust in 2022 as Associate Director of Operations for Medicine Care Group. She is a visionary leader with a proven track record of leading service improvement, looking to make a transformative impact in healthcare and committed to enhancing patient care by embracing innovation, and fostering a culture of excellence, a community of collaboration and teamwork.

Danny Bakey, Divisional Director for the  Surgery, Critical Care, Maternity, Gynaecology and Neonatal Services (S&F) Division

Danny re-joined the trust in 2006 having initially left to travel and gain clinical experience elsewhere before spending a number of years working in the theatre department at the RLI as an Operating Department Practitioner, Clinical Leader before becoming the cross-bay theatre matron in 2015. In 2017 Danny moved into an operational role as Deputy Divisional General Manager, more recently working as Associate Director of Operations in what was the Surgery and Critical Care Group. 

Danny has a wealth of experience in clinical and operational roles both within the trust and across the wider healthcare system having spent time working with other NHS providers and with national teams for theatres, NHS England and the 'Getting it Right First Time' (GIRFT) team.  He is motivated by wanting to lead and improve services for our local populations across the trust, and to ensure that the services within the trust are sustainable and meet the needs of the community and colleagues alike.   

Louise Corlett, Divisional Director for the Integrated Community Care, Cancer, Diagnostic and End of Life Services (CCDE) Division

Louise joined the Trust in November 2019. 

She started her career as a Post-doctoral research fellow in the field of Immunology working in Oxford and Edinburgh University, before relocating back to Cumbria and joining the NHS in 2003.

Louise has a breadth of operational management experience spanning acute, community and mental health services, working in senior leadership roles since 2011.

Her passion is in developing services that are accessible and responsive to patients and their needs, maximising opportunities of collaborative working across partners in health, social care and other non-NHS providers.

Dr. Sakthi Karunanithi
Advisor to Trust Board

Dr Sakthi Karunanithi:  Prior to becoming the Lancashire Director of Public Health and Wellbeing in 2013, Dr Sakthi Karunanithi worked as the Director of Population Healthcare in the county. He trained across many NHS organisations in the North West and has been a NICE scholar. His key interests include mobilising communities for wellbeing, integration and improvement of health and care at scale, socio-economic determinants of health and addressing unwarranted clinical variation. He has been a trusted spokesperson on best practices amid the Covid-19 pandemic.