We often refer to ‘health chiefs’ who will decide whether Huddersfield Royal Infirmary keeps its accident and emergency department.
But who are these ‘chiefs’?
The people making the decisions are directors of two clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), namely Greater Huddersfield CCG and Calderdale CCG.
CCGs commission – hence the name – and manage NHS services with their given area.
They were set up under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to replace Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).
They each comprise eight GPs – the idea is to allow local GPs to guide local NHS services – plus NHS managers and key members from a variety of clinical fields (e.g. nurses) and non-clinical fields (e.g. lawyers, academics).
Greater Huddersfield CCG
Dr Steve Ollerton
Clinical Leader and Chair
Dr Ollerton is a GP and director at Skelmanthorpe Family Doctors.
Carol McKenna
Chief Officer
Ms McKenna has been an NHS director for 10 years previously leading the CCG’s predecessors, namely NHS Kirklees and South and Central Huddersfield PCTs.
Julie Lawreniuk
Chief Finance Office
A qualified accountant, Ms Lawreniuk has worked in the NHS since 1991. She is also Chief Finance Officer for Calderdale CCG.
Vanessa Stirum
Deputy Chair
A former Probation Service worker and divorce mediator, Ms Stirum has been a non-executive director in a number of NHS organisations over the last 15 years.
Penny Woodhead
Head of Quality and Safety
Ms Woodhead worked as a nurse specialising in encology and palliative, care before moving into clinical management. She is responsible for making sure local health services meet NHS guidelines. Ms Woodhead is also Head of Quality and Safety for Calderdale CCG.
Dr Chris Beith
GP Member
Dr Beith is a part time GP in Milnsbridge and a clinical assistant in cardiology for Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust which runs Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and Calderdale Royal Hospital, Halifax.
Dr Matt Kaye
GP Member
Dr Kaye is a partner and GOP at the Lindley Group Practice.
Dr Ramesh Edara
GP Member
Born and qualified in South India, Dr Edara is a GP partner at Colne Valley Family Doctors, Slaithwaite.
Dr Jane Ford
GP Member
Dr Ford has been a GP in Fartown since 1993.
Dr Anuj Handa
GP Member
Fartown GP Dr Handa is also a director of respiratory medicine in Kirklees.
Dr David Hughes
GP Member
Dr Hughes has been a partner at Dr Jennison and Partners, at Elmwood Health Centre, Holmfirth since 1987. He is quite outspoken at directors’ meetings and has expressed concerns about private companies’ role in NHS services.
Dr Maria Wybrew
GP Member
Dr Wybrew runs a small practice with her husband Dr Robin Wybrew near Greenhead Park.
Dr Irving Cobden
Secondary Care Advisor
Dr Cobden is a former gastroenterology consultant.
Tony Gerrard
Lay Member
A self-employed management consultant chairs the audit and remuneration committees.
Angela Monaghan
Nurse Advisor
Ms Monaghan has been Chief Nurse at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust since 2000.
Calderdale CCG
Dr Alan Brook
Chair
A Brighouse GP since 1987, Dr Brook has chaired other local health trust.
Dr Watt Walsh
Chief Officer
Before joining NHS Calderdale as Medical Director in 2009, Dr Walsh had worked as a clinical director for Bradford South and West Primary Care Trust and was also the Executive Director for Commissioning at NHS Leeds.
Watch Town Crier read his poem at the Hands Off HRI rally below
David Longstaff
Deputy Chair
Mr Longstaff, from Brighouse, is a former BT executive.
Dr Steven Cleasby
Assistant Clinical Chair
Halifax GP Dr Cleasby had been a director of prescriptions for Calderdale PCT.
Dr Hazel Carsley
GP Member
Also a Halifax GP and practice partner, Dr Carsley has been children’s and women’s clinical lead for the CCG for the past year.
Dr Nigel Taylor
GP Member
Dr Taylor is a Hebden Bridge GP and is also a clinical lead for respiratory medicine.
Dr John Taylor
GP Member
Halifax GP and practice partner Dr Taylor leads a panel which manages home care services.
Dr Majid Azeb
GP Member
A partner at Southowram Surgery, Dr Azeb also specialises in urgent care management.
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Dr Caroline Taylor
GP Member
Dr Taylor was a doctor at Overgate Hospice, Elland, before landing her current role as a Halifax GP.
Kate Smyth
Lay Member
As a full-time wheelchair user, Ms Smyth has direct experience of how healthcare services affect disabled patients.
Jackie Bird
Registered Nurse
Ms Bird was the Deputy Director of Nursing and Governance at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust.
John Mallalieu
Lay Member
Mr Mallalieu is the managing director of Turning Point, a social enterprise which helps people with mental health and drug and alcohol issues.
Other important personnel
Jen Mulcahy
Programme manager for Right Care Right Time Right Place