Our board of trustees

Our trustees provide leadership, oversight and assurance for Healthwatch North Yorkshire. They are responsible for making sure the organisation is well run, financially sound and focused on making a positive difference to people’s experiences of health and social care across North Yorkshire.

The board sets our strategic direction, monitors performance and supports the staff team, while maintaining independence and accountability.

Meet our trustees

Pat Southgate, Chairperson

I’m Pat. I’m a retired nurse with 44 years of experience, including 30 years working in the community to help families and people live healthier lives. I’ve worked in hospitals and local health services and supported other nurses through my work with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Right now, I volunteer at York and Scarborough NHS Hospital Trust and Martin House Hospice, and I’m on the board of York Housing Association. I’ve also been a school governor at Sheriff Hutton School.

I’ve always seen how people’s health is linked to things like housing, money, and where they live. I want to keep speaking up for people in North Yorkshire to make sure everyone has the chance to live a healthy, happy life.

Caroline O'Neill

I’m Caroline. I became a trustee at Healthwatch North Yorkshire in April 2025. I’ve always believed in the importance of Healthwatch and want to help make sure people’s voices are at the heart of local health and care.

I’ve worked with the NHS and North Yorkshire Council to help make health and wellbeing services better for local people. I’ve worked in charities, local councils, and businesses, and I bring experience of working with lots of different organisations.

I’m determined to help make sure everyone in North Yorkshire can live a healthy life, and that services listen to what people need.

Janette Walker

I’m Janette. I joined as a trustee in April 2025. I’ve worked for over 25 years in finance, health, and social care, always focusing on speaking up for people who use care services and making sure they get the best support possible.

I’ve also been a city councillor in Leeds, where I was proud to stand up for my local community.

Being part of Healthwatch North Yorkshire means I can carry on making sure people’s voices are heard, respected, and used to make services better for everyone.

Stephen Hanna

I’m Stephen. I joined as a trustee in April 2025. I work as a GP in a rural practice in North Yorkshire and also teach at Hull York Medical School.

Every day, I see the challenges people face when trying to get care. I want to bring this experience to Healthwatch North Yorkshire and help make sure services work for everyone.

I care about making sure people’s voices are heard and that everyone can get the care they need.

Shona Eyre

I'm Shona. I am a physiotherapist currently in post as Head of Community Services at St Gemma’s Hospice in Leeds with over 20 years’ experience in palliative care. I am passionate about providing a good person-centred approach to specialist palliative care.

I lead community and outpatient teams and oversee projects supporting people with non cancer conditions, including breathlessness, fatigue, anxiety and neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neuron disease and advanced multiple sclerosis. My work also focuses on strengthening psychological and emotional wellbeing support for patients and families.

I have substantial knowledge of musculoskeletal conditions and have previously worked closely with general practice teams and hospital services.

Living in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, I understand the challenges faced by rural and agricultural communities and I hope to use my experience to support Healthwatch in ensuring that local voices are heard and reflected in health and care services.

Hannah Darton

I'm Hannah. I bring a wide range of experience across mental health, health and care services, and service improvement. I currently work as a mental health recovery team leader at City of York Council, leading a neighbourhood based service designed to improve access and respond more flexibly to people’s needs, with compassion and choice at its centre.

I have previously worked within the NHS as an occupational therapist and have managed local wellbeing projects in Selby. Earlier in my career, I spent several years at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in project, business change, and technology roles, supporting improvements across care and housing services.

Alongside my professional experience, I hold a PhD in mechanical engineering, which supports my interest in understanding how systems work and how they can be improved.

Being a trustee at Healthwatch North Yorkshire matters to me because it helps make sure people’s voices shape services that affect their everyday lives.

Alan Cram

I’m Alan. I’ve worked in finance for over 20 years. I joined Healthwatch North Yorkshire in February 2024 as treasurer, helping to look after the charity’s finances.

In my current job, I lead projects that teach people about money and help charities. I also help local schools by offering work experience.

I’ve supported many charities over the years and know how important good health and care services are. I want to help people speak up and make sure their experiences are heard so that services improve for everyone.

John Cunningham

I’m John. I have over 25 years of experience working around the world on new technology projects and helping charities and businesses grow.

I’ve helped companies and investors understand challenges in different countries, and I want to bring this experience to Healthwatch North Yorkshire.

I’m excited to help tackle problems and make sure health and care services work well for everyone.

Alison Wood

I’m Alison. I joined Healthwatch North Yorkshire in January 2024. I’ve worked in finance, helping big organisations plan and run projects.

I recently finished a Master’s degree in psychology, focusing on making sure people’s views are included when health decisions are made.

I’m passionate about making sure decisions in health and care really listen to people and use their experiences to make services better.

Alan Cunningham

I’m Alan. I’m a retired GP with 32 years of experience in Harrogate. I joined Healthwatch North Yorkshire in June 2024, and I still care deeply about making sure patients come first.

Throughout my career, I held roles focused on introducing health services and prescribing medication, and I was involved in the development and running of a new health centre in Harrogate.

I’m dedicated to making sure health and care services put people at the centre and really listen to what they need.

Board meetings are where trustees use public feedback, evidence and reports to guide decisions about our work.

October 2025 board meeting

A summary of what we discussed:

• Agreed extensions to trustee and chair terms to support stability during ongoing national uncertainty
• Reviewed progress and impact from recent work, including cancer awareness, ethnic minority experiences of adult social care, farming communities and safeguarding
• Noted strong reach and recognition of the annual report, including national recognition from Healthwatch England
• Reviewed finances, confirming sufficient funding to operate into 2027 while planning for future uncertainty
• Discussed policy updates, cyber security, and the responsible use of AI within the organisation

Read the full meeting minutes

July 2025 board meeting

A summary of what we discussed:

• Agreed the appointment of a new vice chair following trustee resignations
• Reviewed progress against the business plan, including reports on rural health, postnatal care, ethnic minority communities and care homes
• Discussed digital access and reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities when accessing GP services
• Reviewed finances, risks and future funding pressures
• Agreed to establish three trustee working groups in response to the Government decision to abolish Healthwatch, focusing on short to medium term priorities, future opportunities, and contingency planning

Read the full meeting minutes

April 2025 board meeting

A summary of what we discussed:

• Welcomed new trustees and confirmed governance arrangements
• Reviewed impact from recent work, including mental health, care homes, rural health and GP access
• Noted national recognition for mental health work, including improvements to access to mental health practitioners in GP practices
• Discussed outcomes from the rural health and care summit and next steps toward a potential rural health strategy
• Agreed priorities for the year ahead, including alcohol support, reasonable adjustments, and improving access for rural communities
• Reviewed risks, finances and agreed the budget and staff pay award for 2025 to 2026
• Received an update on the farming report and progress against recommendations

Read the full meeting minutes