Council of Governors

Public Governor 

I have lived in Barnsley most of my life and being retired I have time to devote to this important role within the local area. I am married with a son and I live near the hospital. My family and I have used local NHS services over the years and I would like to give something back. I care about the NHS and I am keen to help the Trust deliver high quality healthcare for the community.

I hope to see the Trust develop through partnerships with local medical providers and ongoing input from Trust members. Ensuring effective teamwork with the involvement of ALL healthcare people and partners is key to delivering the strategic goals of the Trust.

I worked for GPO Telephones, then BT, for 30 years in technical roles. My last few jobs were in management. I experienced many changes within a large complex organisation. I left BT on voluntary redundancy terms and retrained. I succeeded in qualifying in training and QSE (Quality, Health & Safety - environmental management and auditing). In my last work role, I was Group QSE Manager for a national security company.

In view of my knowledge and varied experience I believe I can contribute, and help the Trust succeed.

Rob's current term runs to 14.03.26.

Public Governor 

My background is in medical devices and I currently work as a regulatory consultant in the medical device industry. Patient safety has been at the core of all my professional roles and I hope to bring this focus to my position as public governor.

I was raised in Rotherham before moving around the country for work. I finally settled in Barnsley over 6 years ago with my family where at one point or another we have been service users. Barnsley’s hospital and associated services is a key part of the community. I look forward to working with the other governors to secure the best future for the service.

Thomas’ current term runs to 14.3.26.

Public Governor

I have been a Governor of Barnsley Hospital for over 3 years. My family and I have been patients of the hospital on several occasions over the 20 years we have lived in the Barnsley area. I am also a volunteer at the hospital, a role I have undertaken for six years.

Through these experiences I have developed some understanding of the issues faced by patients, their families, staff and volunteers. I believe I have used this knowledge and the knowledge gained since becoming a Governor to further enhance the work of the Hospital by contributing to discussions and decision making as a Governor using the skills and experience I gained as a senior manager.

The majority of my working life was spent in Universities where as a senior academic I had responsibility for the recruitment, management and development of staff, the recruitment and management of students, the management of budgets, strategic development and the management of quality and standards. Since retiring from full time work, I have continued to undertake quality assurance work in the UK and overseas in relation to organisations having to meet statutory body and organisational requirements. My managerial experience builds upon my academic background and research in statistics and systems.

Graham’s current term of office runs until 30.01.28.

Public Governor

I was born and bred in Barnsley and have lived here all my life. During my working life I was an electrical engineer specialising in controls applications and machine control software. I have travelled the length and breadth of the country and beyond during my career but I was always glad to get back “home”. In my personal life I have a wide range of interests including dancing, walking, reading and golf. I have always been a very sociable person, which is probably the reason I have served on numerous different committees. These range from various Institute of Advanced Motorists committees, being a school governor, a parent-teacher association and the neighbourhood's watch.

I was made redundant at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. After a little time re-evaluating my life, I was fortunate enough to start working part time at Barnsley Hospital as a bank porter. I enjoy my role tremendously as I feel like I am giving something back to my community by helping make a difference to both patients and visitors.

I enjoy being able to make a difference and be part of team. Via my role as a porter, I heard about the governors’ positions. This then spurred me on to look at the roles and see if there was something that I could add value to. The answer was yes; so here I am.

Malcolm’s current term runs to 30.01.28.

Public Governor

I have volunteered at Barnsley hospital for over forty-eight years. I worked with hospital broadcasting providing Barnsley FC commentaries from Oakwell and more recently, as a volunteer in the A and E department. I am a passionate supporter of the hospital and the NHS, who have provided great care for myself and my family over the years. I really want to give something back in my role as a governor. I am also involved with Reds in the Community; the charitable arm of Barnsley Football Club, who do a lot of work to promote preventative health and fitness for Barnsley area residents.

As someone who has profound hearing loss, I am committed to ensuring that the hospital is fully accessible to disabled people. 

Phil’s current term runs to 30.01.28.

Co-opted Advisor

I was born in Barnsley and still live in Barnsley with my wife. We have two daughters and four grandchildren.

My full-time career path saw me working in the retail motor trade, starting on the shop floor, rising to be Main Board Director.

I am passionate about customer care, and getting things done at pace, and I look forward to bringing care closer to home and reducing inequality of care across the whole of Barnsley.

We have a great local hospital and I want to contribute to making it better than the best.  I am particularly excited about changing the way we deliver care through all of our health and wellbeing partnerships.

Public Governor

I was born and brought up in Barnsley and have lived in Monk Bretton for most of my life. The majority of my working life has been in the NHS. I started nurse training in 1975 and worked for almost 40 years as a Registered General Nurse. I spent short periods working at Kendray and Beckett’s Hospital with the majority being at Barnsley District General Hospital, gaining experience across many different specialities.

Outside of the NHS I have held office as a Barnsley MBC Councillor with 20 years’ experience. During this time I was Chair of the Scrutiny Commission within the Council. I was honoured to be elected Mayor of Barnsley for 2010 to 2011. I have held a number of positions in Barnsley including: President of St John Ambulance and Chair of the British Heart Foundation.

More recently, I have become a member of the Barnsley Patients Council and the White Rose Medical Practice patient group. I have vigorously advocated for improvements in Cancer Care for over 25 years and oppose privatisation of the NHS as I strongly believe the NHS belongs to the people.

Margaret’s current term of office runs until 31.12.25.

Co-opted Advisor

I have worked for the NHS on a number of occasions. Initially as a volunteer in the 1970s and then as a nursing auxiliary. I thoroughly enjoyed this role and remained in this post for over 10 years. I then went on to work as a community based warden where I looked after elderly residents in their own homes. I was drawn back to Barnsley Hospital in 2014 as a volunteer and continue to be an active member of the group.

I have a great interest in the Trust, the people who work here and the community it serves.

I hope that my past and present experience within the Trust will help support and inform my role as public governor.

I look forward to serving the Trust and the community in my capacity as governor. 

Public Governor 

I applied to become a governor of Barnsley Hospital having lived in Barnsley all my life and used the hospital services.

After my retirement from being a Forman coach builder, I took on several volunteering roles to help my community and keep myself active. I volunteer for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and South Yorkshire Police, and for Barnsley Hospital. I thought I could contribute all my experience of volunteering and work, to the governor role.

Phil’s current term runs to 14.03.26.

Public Governor 

I have previously been a Partner Governor for Barnsley Council at the Hospital for 14 years. I recently retired as a Councillor where I was the spokesperson for Place Health and Adult Social care.

I was born in Barnsley and have lived in Athersley South most of my life. Myself and my family have used inpatient and outpatient services at the Trust. We have a very high regard for all the staff and the Hospital.

From my experience of representing St Helens ward for 16 years, and working in the community for many more years. I have gained considerable experience in listening, working with and representing residents which I will continue to do as a governor.

I am really pleased to be public governor at the Trust and look forward to working as a team with my governor colleagues.

Jenny's current term runs to 09.01.27.

Public Governor

I was born in Dewsbury in 1944 and spent my first years in Poplar in London, then Mould Green in Huddersfield, then Thornhill in Dewsbury. My first job was in the woollen trade as a Burler Mender at Hopton Mills.

I had a family and then trained as a chef in my 40’s and moved to Exeter where I worked for Exeter Council and completed my part time qualifications as a chef part time at college. After completing my studies I worked as a pastry chef at an Exeter University Hall of Residence.

I moved on to Rowcroft Hospice to gain experience as a cook / catering manager and then took up a post as Catering Manger at Exeter Cathedral Choir School, providing for both boarders and day students and also catering for Cathedral ‘functions’.

I returned up North and was a Home-care Supervisor in Kirklees and Wakefield area.

When I retired, I moved out to Penang, Malaysia for ten years and was an active member of the IWA (international Women’s Organisation). Our choir regularly visited sick people and both children’s and old peoples homes.

I returned to Dewsbury in 2012. I served as a volunteer and then Churchwarden at Dewsbury Minster for 8 years including holding the fort throughout the COVID Pandemic despite having moved to Barnsley together with my Husband only just before first lockdown.

It has been a joy to be living in Staincross, worshipping in Cawthorne and Hoylandswaine, singing in the Cawthorne Choral Society, and have joined the Barnsley and District U3A.

I have been very impressed with the way I have been made welcome and cared for by Barnsley Hospital in particular, and feel I can bring a wealth of understanding and experience with me to listen, learn, and be proactive in driving the trust forward as a caring and worthy place to work, be a patient in, and support for the local community.

Diane's current term runs to 09.01.27.

Public Governor

As part of a large family and living in Barnsley since being born, I applied to the position of governor as I want to help make a difference to our local Hospital.

I also understand the community doesn’t always feel their voice is heard when it comes to local services and this is one area especially I feel I can help.

I have a passion for helping others and feel that with my experience and skills which I have developed in both my personal and professional life, I am able to see things from others perspectives.

In my personal life, I currently sit on the board of governance for a specialist setting for children with special educational needs and disabilities in Barnsley which opened its doors in 2023, along with this I have previous experience as a voluntary board member a UK children’s charity.

My professional background centers around the fields of IT management along with business strategy and data governance, having worked for a multinational medical device company as well as alongside departments within the DWP.

Having the above, I think I can contribute insight and a new voice to local services and their overall goals.

Michael's current term runs to 31.01.28.

Public Governor

I decided to try this opportunity as loosely following the Trust for about a year. I am a lifelong patient at Barnsley Hospital and I am a thankful Patient for all the care and treatment. Along with other health conditions I have been diagnosed with Autism and noticed that people with Autism are not often part of this process. I am looking forward to learning about the good work the Trust does. 

I am an Altar Server at the local church and Sing with The Rock Choir. 

Rhiannon's current term runs to 31.01.28.

Partner Governor

I have worked at Barnsley Hospital for 30 years and have been a union representative for 28 of those years. In my day job, I am a charge nurse on the coronary care unit, where I have worked for the last 20 years. I am in the very fortunate position in that I really enjoy both of my roles within the organisation. I know what it is like to have a job that you do not like and this makes me really appreciate that looking forward to coming to work is very important in life. I have always felt that our hospital absolutely delivers the best possible patient care, often under very difficult circumstances. In my view our most important asset is our staff, who work extremely hard to ensure that the care that we deliver to the Barnsley population is of the highest quality. I strongly believe in our values and behaviours, policies and statements and hope to contribute to our hospital becoming an even more attractive a place to work and be cared for.

As a governor I hope to contribute by giving a staff view to what is happening in the hospital, in the hope that our staff are considered when we make decisions about our hospital’s future. I really enjoy working with my fellow governors to ensure that this happens and hope to continue working with them for some time.

Partner Governor

Jonathan is Interim CEO at Yorkshire’s largest food redistribution organisation, FareShare Yorkshire. His work is focused on removing time-critical logistical barriers to food redistribution and maximising the impact of food among hundreds of Yorkshire’s frontline charities. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2017, he convened stakeholders from across the food industry to design a WRAP-funded trial to expand surplus interception. Today that innovation enables over 1 million additional meals to be provided by frontline organisations across Yorkshire each year. In 2019 he fundraised the creation of the FullCrumb Kitchen where charities and individuals receive cookery skill training to tackle food insecurity on different levels. During the haulage crisis of 2021 he was seconded to FareShare UK to support a roll out of his transport innovation work across ten other counties. Since 2023 he has served on the Steering Group of Good Food Barnsley and FareShare’s Regional Food Sourcing Governance Group.

Partner Governor

Matt worked for Barnsley Hospital in the IT department for many years before joining Barnsley Facilities Services.

He is very well known in the organisation, currently working with the Estates and Facilities team as a Commissioning/Space Utilisation Officer.

Partner Governor

I am a partner governor, representing Barnsley FC Community Trust where I am the Head of Foundation, and I have over 16 years’ experience in the Charity Sector. Barnsley FC Community Trust is a registered charity dedicated to making a positive impact across our community. As the charitable arm of Barnsley FC, we work tirelessly to deliver charitable and community activities across all areas of the Borough. Our reach is extensive, engaging between 10,000 and 15,000 beneficiaries each season, spanning an age range from 2 to 100 years old.

At Barnsley FC Community Trust, we believe in the power of sport, and community to transform lives. Through our focused delivery in key areas such as Health and Wellbeing, Education and Employability, Inclusion and Participation, we strive to make a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and the community as a whole.

I am committed to contributing and utilising our collaborative efforts through this role to bring forward meaningful change for our local community.

Partner Governor

I am a Partner Governor, representing Sheffield Hallam University where I work in the School of Health and Social Care as a Deputy Head of School. My portfolio of work at the university is centred around workforce development. Sheffield Hallam educates large numbers of healthcare professionals across nursing and midwifery, allied health professionals, social work and biosciences. In addition to delivering undergraduate healthcare courses, my main focus is around the development of post graduate health care professionals and helping them prepare for the current and future demands placed upon them.

Many of the universities undergraduate and post graduate students have either their placements at Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust or are established members of staff. As a result of this, Sheffield Hallam University has developed a strong partnership with Barnsley Hospital and the surrounding areas.

My background is in adult nursing, where I worked in Emergency Departments around the country for my whole 15-year full time clinical career. For the latter years of my clinical career, I trained and focused on becoming an advanced clinical practitioner. When I moved into higher education, I continued to work on an ad-hoc basis in emergency medicine up until 2022. I have continued to maintain strong links with the NHS where I spend time helping to educate the current and future work force.

I see the role of the Partner Governor as maintaining the close links between education and the NHS, making sure that what we deliver at the university and Trust, is what is required for our current and future workforce in meeting the patients need.

Partner Governor

David Akeroyd is the Principal and Chief Executive of Barnsley college having joined them in August 2019. David’s background is originally Financial Services working in this sector for almost 20 years before joining the Further Education sector in 2008 – initially as a maths teacher. He progressed quickly to management positions and has been a senior manager in his last three colleges leading significant improvements across all aspects of education.

He is keen to become active across the Barnsley community and sees the opportunity to be a member of the Council of Governor’s a privilege and looks forward to helping in any way that he can. 

Partner Governor

I represent the University of Sheffield as Partner Governor and began my term in 2018. I am the interim head of the Academic Unit of Medical Education at Sheffield Medical School and work closely with local hospitals and general practices across South Yorkshire. This is where our medical students, physician associates and other healthcare students from the Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health are based during their training. Many of them stay to work in the region once they qualify.

I previously trained as a nurse and worked at the Northern General Hospital before moving to work at the University. My research was in the area of stroke rehabilitation and interprofessional education and involved working with all members of the healthcare team, prior to my focus on medical education. In my current role, I work locally and nationally with organisations responsible for the governance and regulation of medical training to ensure that we deliver the highest quality training for our students.

My experience and background mean that I am well placed to contribute effectively to the governance of Barnsley Hospital to ensure that the Trust provides the best service possible for the people of Barnsley.

Staff Governor

I am the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead and I am committed to amplifying staff voices and fostering an inclusive, supportive environment. Through my work with staff networks, I champion inclusivity across all protected characteristics and support initiatives that enhance both staff engagement and patient experience.

Over 20 years of experience cultivating strong links with the local community, I bring a wealth of expertise from the voluntary, public, and private sectors. As a former councillor—the first BME woman elected in Barnsley—I served as Deputy Spokesperson for the Communities and People with Potential Committee, advocating for diverse voices and supporting vulnerable groups. My governance experience extends to my previous roles as a Barnsley College Governor and Non-Executive Director for Berneslai Homes , where I developed a strong knowledge of corporate governance, strategic planning, and risk and performance management—critical skills for ensuring the delivery of a successful organisation. I am dedicated to ensuring Barnsley Hospital continues to provide outstanding, inclusive care for all. 

Roya's current term of office runs until 31.01.28.

Co-opted Advisor

As a semi-retired Anaesthetist and Intensivist, I also serve part-time as a Medical Examiner and course tutor at Northumbria Law School. With nine years of experience as a Staff Governor, I have lived in Barnsley for over 25 years, maintaining a deep connection to the hospital as an employee, patient, and relative of patients

Jon's current term of office runs until 31.01.28.

Staff Governor 

Nigel has experience working in Leeds, Pontefract and Sheffield as an Acute Pain Nurse Specialist and also worked in New Zealand for 5 years. He also served in the British Army as a Nursing Officer with tours of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Nigel has 16 years’ experience solely in Acute Pain Management, 30 years in total nursing and is a non-medical Prescriber.

He has been the Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) for Acute Pain since October 2020.

Nigel’s current term of office runs until 31.12.25.

Staff Governor

I am a speciality doctor (surgeon) in trauma & orthopaedics at Barnsley Hospital. I have lived and worked in Barnsley for the past 14 years. I hold Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) and I am certified by the European Board of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EBOT exam). 

I want to champion staff causes and contribute to conversations on the culture of working at Barnsley Hospital, building upon what staff love about working at Barnsley Hospital.

Wissam's current term of office runs to 31.12. 25