Bay Health and Care Partners Leadership Team

Karen's passion and energy for driving integration across health and care is driven by the desire to deliver the best outcomes for local people.

With over 18 years experience within the NHS,  in key roles within strategic planning, service integration and operational commissioning, Karen has a strong belief that only collaboration and integration across sectors - and with local people at the heart of plans - can improve life chances and reduce inequalities.

As Programme Director, Karen plays a lead role in the development of the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) within Morecambe Bay, co-ordinating across all of the partner organisations to build strong foundations and constructive working relationships with confidence, motivation, resilience and tenacity. 

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

 An experienced and motivated professional, Aaron’s previous roles include Director of Finance / Deputy Chief Executive of Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, and Director of Finance at Liverpool Heart and Chest NHS Foundation Trust.

Aaron began his career in the NHS as a National Graduate Trainee in 2000 and has held a number of senior management positions in the acute and community provider sector during this time.

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.

More recently, Aaron was chosen to take part in the National Leadership Centre programme to improve public services, and has also had involvement in the Covid-19 national test and trace programme. Aaron also sits on the Integrated Care System (ICS) Digital Portfolio Board.

Aaron is passionate about inclusivity, leading with compassion and creating a culture of openness and transparency; with patient safety and colleague experience at the core. Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust is recognised as the most inclusive NHS organisation in the country.

Committed to continuous improvement and sustainability for the future of our NHS by playing a key role in the development of our local Lancashire and South Cumbria ICS.

Hilary was the Chief Commissioning Officer at Lancashire North CCG, and following the boundary change, took up the Chief Operating Officer role in the Morecambe Bay CCG. 

Prior to taking up her role at the CCG, Hilary worked as Head of Commissioning for unscheduled care and children’s services at North Lancashire CCG. During this time she was responsible for overseeing the development of a range of joint working initiatives with the local authority, acute trusts and a range of other partners to improve services for patients who require urgent care or care in a community setting and for children, young people and their families.

Prior to her post at North Lancashire CCG, which she commenced in 2007, Hilary worked for Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority assisting a range of organisations with performance improvement issues.

Hilary has also worked in the private sector for Coopers and Lybrand and KPMG, undertaking a range of audit work on behalf of the Audit Commission and consultancy work in the North West and other parts of the UK.

Anthony joined Morecambe Bay CCG on 1 April 2017 from Cumbria CCG where he was Director for South Cumbria with commissioning responsibilities for services in South Cumbria. Prior to this he held various posts in Cumbria CCG and Cumbria PCT, which he joined as Assistant Chief Executive in April 2008.

A qualified accountant, Anthony began his public service career in local government and held various posts in finance, strategy and policy in Councils in the Midlands, North East and Cumbria. Anthony has also worked for the Audit Commission, undertaking VFM project development work and as senior manager for the audits of a range of local authorities, health bodies and education establishments.

He is currently Director of Planning and Performance and is also the Director Lead for Elective Care and Mental Health.

Colin Cox is the Director of Public Health for Cumbria. His career in local government public health began in the late 1990s working for Drug Action Teams, initially in Shetland and then Stockport. In the latter, he moved into a wider health partnership role and subsequently undertook a Masters in Public Health.

In 2002 he joined the newly formed Manchester Joint Health Unit as its Assistant Director. With the opening up of public health specialist registration to non-medics a couple of years later he undertook further public health training and development and was registered on the UK Public Health Register in 2008. He remained in Manchester through the merger of the Joint Health Unit with the NHS Public Health Team to create Public Health Manchester, and oversaw the formal transition of public health from the NHS to local government in 2013, after which he became the Deputy Director of Public Health for Manchester. He moved to Cumbria as Director of Public Health in 2014.

Dr Andy Knox is a GP Partner at Ash Trees Surgery, Carnforth and Director of Population Health for Bay Health and Care Partners.

Andy is the Clinical Lead for Population Health across the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System. 

Andy is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in Sociology in the Centre for the Alternative to Social and Economic Injustice and a Member of the NHS National Assembly.

Phil’s portfolio at UHMBT includes corporate communications, stakeholder relations and external engagement and he is also the lead for Communications and Engagement for Bay Health and Care Partners – an alliance of health and care organisations looking to transform care across the Morecambe Bay area. Phil has worked in the NHS since 1999. He joined joining UHMBT as a marketing manager in 2008, and has led the organisation’s communication and engagement response to a number of high profile issues, in particular, the Kirkup report into failings in maternity services at the Trust, published in 2015. 

He has worked in a variety of business development, senior management and marketing roles in both the public and private sector, and was previously the General Manager and deputy director at Lancashire Ambulance Service. He holds several marketing qualifications including an MA. 

Phil is the Chair of the local ICS patient and carers Stroke and neurological assurance group.

Andy was appointed as the Chief Information Officer for Bay Health and Care partners in 2020.

Andy began his career in the local shipyard as an apprentice engineer and after being sponsored through university he embarked on a career in technology, working twice in the NHS and for seven years in Switzerland with an international technology supplier.

Andy’s combined 20 years with the NHS began in 1993 and he has enjoyed from the beginning the incredible Morecambe Bay journey to digital maturity and is proud and excited about the opportunities we have in the Bay for digital transformation and citizen-centred digital solutions. 

When he isn’t working Andy enjoys sailing, cycling, and spending time outdoors with his wife, five children and their dog.

Dr David Fearnley joined Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCft) in 2020 as Chief Medical Officer. He has been a consultant forensic psychiatrist since 2001, and was appointed as the Medical Director for Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust in 2005.

He then moved to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, as the Executive Medical Director, in August 2019. His interests include encouraging doctors to become involved in medical leadership, quality improvement science, large scale transformational change, and digital health technology.

David was named as the Royal College of Psychiatrists Inaugural ‘Psychiatrist of the Year’ (2009), received the Healthcare Financial Management Association/Academy of Medical Royal Colleges ‘Working with Finance - Clinician of the Year Award’ in 2013, and was named in the Health Service Journal’s 100 Clinical Leaders List in 2015.

In 2018 he joined the first cohort of the NHS Digital Academy and was awarded an MSc in Digital Health Leadership at Imperial College London. He was elected Fellow of the Faculty of Clinical Informatics in 2019.

David’s national roles have included: Deputy National Clinical Director for Mental Health, NHS Improvement (2017-19), Associate National Clinical Director for Secure Care, and Chair of the Adult Secure Clinical Reference Group, NHS England (2016-19). He used design thinking in his leadership of changes to the secure care pathway, and led work on reducing restrictive practices and improving medical productivity.

Dr Shahedal Bari was appointed as Executive Medical Director of University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) in September 2019 after first joining the NHS in 1997 and the Trust in 2010. 

An experienced, motivated patient-focused clinical and educational leader he continues to contribute to the Royal College work as Examiner for MRCP and CCT Question writing group for Respiratory CCT and Chair of Lung Cancer NSSG in the region. Shahedal's previous roles include Deputy Medical Director, Director of Medical Education (PG). He also is an executive member of the Northern NHS BAME strategic group and the Trust Executive lead for BAME support.

Shahedal did his Specialist Registrar training in Mersey and Manchester region and has been a Consultant Respiratory Physician since 2007. He has led many service improvements and the improvement of the system in Education within the Trust, community and worked closely with HEE North West. 

Shahedal is passionate about patient safety and experience, fairness and equality, colleague support, leading with compassion and creating a culture of openness and fair challenge with transparency. UHMBT is recognised as the most inclusive NHS organisation in the country. He is keen that we learn through education and research and thus take forward clinical care with digital enablement for the future.

Shahedal is committed to continuous improvement and sustainability for the future of our NHS by learning through evidence and patient and trainee experience by playing a key role in the development of our local Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS).

Kate Maynard was appointed as Chief Operating Officer for University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust in September 2020. 

Kate was previously the Trust’s Deputy Chief Operating Officer and acted as Interim Chief Operating Officer from April 2020, guiding the Trust through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  

Kate joined the Trust in 2013 after working as a Locality Director for the NHS in Devon.  

In her role as Chief Operating Officer, Kate has a crucial role to play in redesigning the delivery of hospital and community services for people living in the Morecambe Bay area and will manage all of the Care Groups which run the clinical services provided by the Trust.    

As part of her role, Kate is now also the Lead Director for the Trust’s Estates and Facilities teams which includes capital planning and investment. She will continue to oversee the Trust’s response to COVID-19, working closely with local health and care partners as well as planning and implementing the Trust’s recovery phases.  

Kate will lead service improvement and transformation and will be instrumental in redesigning service delivery, drawing on the learning from COVID-19.  

Biography coming soon. 

Lauren is a GP based in Barrow in Furness.  Born and educated there she moved to Newcastle Upon Tyne to complete her medical degree and worked in paediatrics there before moving to back to Barrow to commence her GP Training. 

She is currently a partner at Bridgegate Medical Centre in Barrow.

Andrew came to the Bay in 2019, leading the newly formed Morecambe Bay Primary Care Collaborative.

With extensive knowledge and experience of working to support primary care across the North West, previously as the Programme Director for Manchester Primary Care Partnership, Andrew has a passion for improvement and collaboration, having led for Primary Care on the development of the Manchester Local Care Organisation, and now enjoys assisting BHCP progress on its journey.

 Outside of work, Andrew’s interests include racing motorcycles and enjoying time with his wife and three children.

Sam has over 25 years local government experience in District, County and large Met Councils. From an environmental background initially, this has included corporate partnership, policy and performance roles. Always working in areas with a range of social and economic challenges, Sam has led on a range of area-based regeneration initiatives, usually with a focus on engaging with local residents as well as a range of partners and stakeholders.

A relatively new Chief Executive, Sam has been at Barrow Borough Council since May 2019 and is already leading a range of place-shaping and transformational initiatives to deliver real and lasting change in the Borough. She is committed to growing the Council’s reputation as a compassionate Council, which puts residents at the heart of all it does. This is starting through a refreshed Council Plan and a new commitment to reimagine relationships with residents through Love Barrow Together.  It is also fundamental to COVID recovery.  A key focus of her role is to reposition the Council and the Borough to take full advantage of a range of opportunities that will enable residents of the Borough to have more opportunities to shape their lives and reach their full potential. 

Outside of work, Sam has two daughters, a husband and a dog. Having always loved the outdoors, Sam recently moved to the beautiful Walney Island and spends her free time is walking, swimming and cycling. 

Andy is a GP partner in Bay Medical Group in Morecambe where he has worked for 24 years.

Andy is the Bay Primary Care Network Clinical Director.

Andy has also previously worked as GP Executive for Morecambe Bay.

Dr Duncan Hallam is a GP in Lancaster.

He was a partner at King Street and University surgery for 22 years and helped lead the merger with four other Lancaster practices to become Lancaster Medical Practice in 2017.

He was the first Clinical Lead of the Lancaster Integrated Care Community and has been Chair of Morecambe Bay Local Medical Committee since 2019. He also works as a GP Specialist Advisor to the CQC.

Sue has been a chief nurse for over 10 years. She joined UHMBT in December 2013. Sue received an OBE for services to patient safety and the NHS in the 2019 New Year’s Honours list. Sue has a long-standing passion for patient safety and the impact of human factors, which she has taken with her throughout her leadership career.

She visited Harvard in Boston to study leadership and learned about lean methodology at Virginia Mason in Seattle. Sue was part of the national team that developed the Safer Nursing Care Tool and continues to be engaged in national strategy in her role as co-Chair of the national NHS Professionals Medical and Nursing Directors Group.

In the past, Sue was part of the national team to implement Hospital at Night, new ways of working in surgery and new ways of working in anaesthesia.

In her private time, Sue is Chair of the charity Transform Healthcare Cambodia and a Trustee at St. John’s Hospice. In 2015, Sue was named a Nursing Times Inspirational Leader.

Chris brings a wealth of experience to University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, having worked in the NHS for 23 years. Previous roles have included; Chief Financial Officer at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust for just under four years, Director of Finance for the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, and Chief Financial Officer for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust. 

Chris' most recent system leadership role (Chief Finance Officer for the Sussex CCGs and Finance SRO for the Sussex Health and Care Partnership ICS) means that he also has in-depth experience and understanding of how individual parts of the health and care system can truly work together for the benefits of local communities, and of working with all system partners to develop relationships, financial frameworks and strategies which support exactly what we are trying to achieve with Bay Health and Care Partners.

John is a Local Government and partnership leader of services for Children, Education and Adults.  John has been in the role Executive Director since February 2020, overseeing a large portfolio of essential services including Children’s and Adults Social Care, Education and Skills, Provider Services (including care homes and domiciliary services) and Public Health - in what has proven to be a time of exceptional circumstances.  John is also part of the council’s Corporate Management Team and fulfils the role of Deputy Chief Executive in addition to his remit as Executive Director.

Prior to joining Cumbria County Council John completed two years in interim DCS roles for Lancashire in 2018 and West Sussex during 2019, in both roles leading improvement in under-performing services. John found it great to be able to work with fantastic teams to develop and improve services for children and young people in Lancashire and West Sussex at a tough time for local government. This followed four years in Bristol as Director for Children and Adults services and John was also formerly Director of Children's Services in Hull (the fantastic City of Culture in 2017!) following 20 years plus in public service in inner London boroughs.

At Bristol John started the Learning City initiative and drive with city partners across the sector and helped get Bristol to be accredited as the first UNESCO Learning City in England. John was also instrumental in establishing the West of England Health and Care Partnership working across the system with CCGs, Acute Trusts and primary care with some strong green shoots of integrated services.

David is Director of People and Organisational Development at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust and started in post in July 2013.

David has over 20 years HR experience in the NHS, working in acute, mental health and community settings in London and the North West. He was a member of the national project group that introduced the annual NHS Staff Survey, was involved in the piloting and testing phases of both the Consultant Contract and the Job Evaluation system, and is currently a member of the North West Regional Clinical Excellence Awards Subcommittee.

He is committed to embedding the NHS Constitution’s Staff Pledges into every aspect of employees’ working lives and in creating the right conditions for staff to flourish and give their best for patient care.

Jane has completed more than 30 years’ service in the NHS across a variety of acute and community care settings, she has worked strategically in professional leadership roles across children services for a number of years including school nursing, health visiting, child and adolescent mental health services. More latterly Jane worked as Deputy Chief Nurse and Head of Safeguarding at Morecambe Bay CCG before taking up her current interim role as Lead Nurse for Quality and Safeguarding.

Janes current portfolios include responsibility for quality assurance and improvement, safeguarding, clinical governance, patent safety, continuing health care, commissioning and contractual functions. Jane contributes to a range of quality improvement initiatives to ensure the quality of local health services result in safe and positive care experiences for our population.  Jane provides professional and strategic clinical leadership on all aspects of quality and safeguarding.

Jane is an authentic leader who strives to forge effective partnership working practices with other organisations and agencies to ensure a whole system approach to quality and safeguarding.