Steering Group
The Steering Group is made up of 4 representatives from each Sector drawn from its membership and one representative from our host organisation East London NHS Foundation Trust, together they oversee and govern the Network activities.
The Steering Group, use their experience, skills and knowledge of their specific sector to assist in making strategic decisions, governance of the Network, representing the interests of member organisation and agreeing and overseeing the member work programme.
The Steering Group ensure delivery and quality of the agreed member work programme through regular performance and progress reports from Reference and User Groups.
Steering Group representatives are elected through a formal election process and member votes. The Steering Group members elect two representatives as Co-Chairs and a one as Treasurer.
Steering Group Meetings
The Steering Group meet virtually 3 times per year for Network Governance and once for an in-person planning day which incorporates the governance meeting and setting and agreeing the member work programme and budget for the following membership year.
Steering Group meeting dates:
Tuesday, 21st May 2024
Tuesday, 13th August 2024
Thursday, 21st November 2024
Meet the Steering Group Members
Host Organisation - East London Foundation Trust
Mohit Venkataram
Executive Director of Commercial Development & Performance
Acute Sector Team
Helen Rushforth
Associate Director of Finance (Medical Care Group) and Treasurer
James Jarvis
Associate Director of Business Intelligence
Julian Emms
Chief Executive
Community Sector Team
Haydn Jones
Associate Director of Finance (Business Intelligence) and Co-Chair
Ben Shaw
Director of Financial Sustainability
Lee Cornell
Associate Director of Strategic Planning and Performance
Jess Lievesley
Executive Director of Strategy, Transformation and Organisational Effectiveness
Mohit Venkataram
Executive Director of Commercial Development & PerformanceNewham GP Federation/ East London NHS Foundation Trust (host organisation)
Mohit was appointed as Executive Director of Business Development and Performance at the Trust in November 2016 having previously been the Commercial and Business Development Director from February 2011.
Mohit has extensive operational management experience in acute Trusts, community Trusts, and social care and mental health organisations. Mohit was the former Deputy Managing Director for Newham Health and Social Care Services across Newham Primary Care Trust and the London Borough of Newham. He has also worked as a practicing clinician in the private and statutory health sector abroad.
Dr Hassan Paraiso
Consultant Acute PhysicianThe Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust
With many years as an Acute Physician consultant, Hassan possess’ comprehensive expertise in the emergency care pathway, upheld by leadership roles in Acute Medicine and Urgent Care. Utilising data-driven insights and collaborative knowledge, Hassan has lead multiple successful service enhancement initiatives, resulting in improved patient flow and exceptional adherence to Emergency Access standards.
Ben Shaw
Director of Financial SustainabilityUniversity Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Ben has over two decades of experience in senior leadership roles in public and private sectors, primarily specialising in procurement as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply. In his most recent capacity as Director of Productivity, Ben successfully led the Trust’s cost and quality improvement programmes for several years. In December 2023 Ben was appointed as the Director of Financial Sustainability for UHL.
Ben has overseen the Trust's cost improvement program, managed NHS Model Hospital and GIRFT initiatives, while actively engaging in regional and national CIP steering groups and wider STP benchmarking work.
Helen Rushforth
Associate Director of Finance (Medical Care Group) and TreasurerUniversity Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
Helen is a qualified accountant providing strategic financial leadership for the Medical Care Group at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust. Helen previous led the productivity and efficiency programme for the University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust; developing governance, processes and procedures to support the identification, implementation and sustainability of opportunities identified through benchmarking (Model Hospital, GIRFT, NHSBN). Helen is the Network Treasurer.
James Jarvis
Associate Director of Business IntelligenceMaidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
James has over 2 decades of experience in Business Intelligence and Analytics roles within the NHS, covering acute, community, mental health provision and commissioning. James is the Associate Director of Business Intelligence at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, where he is responsible for Business Intelligence, Data Warehousing, Data Quality and Clinical Coding. James is also a member of the Shared Health and Care Analytics Board, which is a group looking to develop analytical capabilities across Kent and Medway.
Sam Wilde
Director of Finance & Business Intelligence and Co-ChairLincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust
Sam is the Director of Finance & Business Intelligence at Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS). He joined LCHS in 2018, having previously worked as Associate Director of Finance for Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust. Sam graduated in 1996 having studied Finance and Accountancy before later going on to complete an MBA at Durham University. He has worked in the NHS for a total of 12 years and has also worked in the private sector for Rolls Royce PLC, AstraZeneca PLC and Coal Pension Trustee’s Services Ltd.
Lee Cornell
Associate Director of Strategic Planning & PerformanceSomerset NHS Foundation Trust
Lee has worked for the NHS in Somerset since 1992, when he joined the then Somerset Family Health Services Authority. Lee has been the Performance lead for provider and commissioner organisations in Somerset, as well as having been a Payments & Payroll Manager and an acting Practice Manager, and is currently the Associate Director of Planning and Performance with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which provides acute, community, mental health, learning disabilities, and primary care services. Lee has an MA in Management from the University of the West of England.
Melanie Duffy
Director of Community and Primary CareLancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
Mel has a background in Information, Operations, Transformation and Strategy, consistently using data, including benchmarking, to identify improvement opportunities to ensure optimal service effectiveness and value. Engaging teams in service evaluation and transformation through instilling a culture of curiosity to drive continuous quality improvement.
Anna Hargrave
Divisional Director - Community ServicesSouth Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Anna has 36 years’ experience in the NHS, both as a nurse and a General Manager. Anna has worked in both an acute hospital setting and for the last 2 1/2 years as Divisional Director in the Community. Anna manages the Community Services from an operational perspective but also has responsibility for flow out of hospital into the community supporting a 'Home First' Discharge to Assess Model of care. She has also supported the introduction of Urgent Community Response and more recently Virtual Wards, which the current data and information for benchmarking is limited.
Julian Emms
Chief ExecutiveBerkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Julian Emms is Chief Executive of Berkshire Healthcare, a combined Mental Health and Community Health NHS Foundation Trust.
Julian started his career in the probation service as a support worker and went on to undertake a variety of roles in the service over a 10-year period before joining the NHS in 1997.
An NHS Executive Director since 2004 Julian has wide ranging experience in organisational leadership and service improvement. The Trust is a Global Digital Exemplar in healthcare and is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Creating a culture in which operational excellence and innovation can thrive has been a major focus of Julian’s work over the last decade.
Julian is the chair of the NHSBN Mental Health sector reference Group.
Jess Lievesley
Executive Director of Strategy, Transformation and Organisational EffectivenessBarnet, Enfield & Haringey NHS Trust & Camden & Islington NHS FT
Jess has extensive board level experience within Mental Health Services both at operational and strategic levels as well as being a Registered Mental Health Nurse. Jess specialises in transformation, quality improvement,. performance improvement and population health improvement.
Philip Murray
Director of Finance & Performance/Deputy CEOSouth West London & St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust
Philip is a Certified Accountant with over 35 years of NHS service, in addition to finance his portfolio includes performance, estates, digital and contracting. He is also his trust’s Deputy CEO. Philip’s career has spanned time within commissioning, acute, mental health and included teaching hospitals, involving time within operational service management. Philip brings a range of skills to the role including, understanding and interpreting data, connecting cross-sector data sets and reflecting upon cross sector needs and patient pathways.
Haydn Jones
Associate Director of Finance (Business Intelligence) and Co-ChairGloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB)
Haydn has extensive experience of working in the public sector across the NHS (commissioner and provider roles), local government and the police service. Haydn is currently Associate Director of Finance (Business Intelligence) at NHS Gloucestershire ICB and has previously been a finance director of a community interest company (CIC) that provided integrated health and social care services.
He is a qualified CIPFA accountant and has a postgraduate certificate in Population Health Sciences. His key skills include benchmarking, analytics, financial management, continuous improvement, influencing, good interpersonal and strong communication skills.
Haydn has a keen interest in value-based health and care and using data to improve population health outcomes.
Nicola Hughes
Head of Planned Care CommissioningCornwall and The Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board (ICB)
Nicola has worked in the NHS for over 30 years with experience of primary care, secondary care and commissioning. Starting her career as a medical secretary working in an acute trust and moved to a post which developed into a role of fundholding manger in a first wave fundholding practice. Nicola has worked in operational management in acute trusts within both Birmingham and Bristol, managing a range of clinical services including medical, surgical and A&E. Most recently, Nicola has been working within planned care commissioning with Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Health System.
Gurprit Pannu
Chief Digital & Information Officer (Executive)Sussex Health & Care (ICB)
Gurprit works as the Chief Digital & Information Officer (Executive) responsible for data quality, data infrastructure, data and digital adoption, advanced analytics, data security, and information governance, as well as being the Clinical Lead for the National Shared Care Record Program in Sussex, SRO for the development of a Secure Data Environment covering Kent and Sussex, and a Consultant in Psychiatry. Gurprit chairs a system wide forum that is responsible for bringing senior data and digital clinical leaders together across the system to work across organisational boundaries.
Anne Brierley
Chief Transformation OfficerBedfordshire, Luton & Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (ICB)
Anne has worked in various Senior Leadership roles, providing her with practical and strategic understanding of the challenges facing each sector of the NHS, and how to work differently to achieve the optimal outcomes for residents through constrained resources. Anne has much experience (and track record) in how to work smarter to improve outcomes and productivity. All of this starts with asking the right questions of our data & pathways, and being curious about how others are tackling the same problems.
Integrated Care System Sector Team
Nicola Hughes
Head of Planned Care Commissioning
Melanie Duffy
Director of Community and Primary Care
Mental Health Sector Team
Vacancy
Philip Murray
Director of Finance and Performance/Deputy CEO
Gurprit Pannu
Chief Digital and Information Officer (Executive)
Sam Wilde
Director of Finance and Business Intelligence and Co-Chair
Anna Hargrave
Divisional Director - Community Services
Dr Gaurav Sharma
Medical Lead, Men’s Secure Services and Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
Anne Brierley
Chief Transformation Officer
The Network also have active Reference and User Groups, to find out more click here.