Meet our Governors

I am very proud to have worked within the NHS for almost 30 years, beginning my career in my home city of Leeds. In 2010, I moved to Blackpool, and in 2013 I joined Blackpool Teaching Hospitals as a Healthcare Assistant. Since then, I have never really looked back. Working in the NHS has given me the opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives of the patients I care for, and that is something I value enormously. Every day brings new challenges and opportunities, but knowing that I can make a positive difference, however big or small, is what continues to motivate and inspire me. Throughout my career, I have also recognised the importance of supporting the colleagues I work alongside. Healthcare is very much a team effort, and I am passionate about working together, listening to others, and helping to create a supportive environment where both patients and staff feel valued and respected. I am proud of my NHS journey, from starting out in Leeds almost 30 years ago to becoming a Healthcare Assistant at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals. I look forward to continuing to use my experience, passion and understanding of both patients and staff to contribute positively to the Trust and the communities we serve.

Biography to follow

I am delighted to take on the role of Council Governor, bringing over 10 years of experience working in the NHS, alongside a non-clinical background and a strong commitment to public service. Throughout my NHS career, I have developed a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our health service. I believe that effective leadership starts with listening, and I want to use my role as a governor to ensure that all voices and experiences of patients, service users, staff and the wider community are heard, respected, and reflected in the decisions we make. As a governor, I hope to contribute an independent perspective, constructive challenge and a strong focus on transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement. I want to help build an organisation where people feel valued, where services are accessible and responsive, and where decisions are made with the needs of the patients and communities at their heart. I believe that positive change comes through collaborative, openness, and willingness to listen and learn. My aim is to work alongside fellow governors, the Board, staff, and our communities to support high-quality services and help strengthen trust in our organisation. Above all, I want to make a meaningful contribution as a governor, bringing curiosity, integrity, and a genuine commitment to serving our community.

As a lifelong resident of Blackpool, I am deeply connected to the local community through family, friends, and professional ties. I have always valued the exceptional work carried out by Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, and I am proud to support its continued success in my role as Staff Governor. With the current economic climate being turbulent and decisions being scrutinised at all levels, it’s important that all decisions that impact the professions and roles within Clinical Support are held to account.

I began my career within the Trust ten years ago as a Medical Laboratory Assistant. With the support of my colleagues, I progressed academically by converting my BSc in Biology into an IBMS-accredited degree, followed by successful HCPC registration. I have since gained extensive experience in Blood Transfusion and Haematology, and have contributed to quality and management aspects within Pathology. I was fortunate to observe open-heart surgery alongside the cardiac department, an experience that reinforced the critical role of all clinical support services. It also highlighted the value of national initiatives such as NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme in driving quality and efficiency across healthcare.

My career development has included completion of the IBMS Specialist Portfolio and, more recently, the Higher Specialist Diploma (results pending), which will help me attain my fellowship within the IBMS. My personal development has been significantly supported by the leadership within Clinical Support Services, ultimately enabling my progression to the role of Senior Biomedical Scientist. In this position, I have been able to share my knowledge and experience with others while gaining valuable exposure to management responsibilities. To further enhance my leadership capabilities, I have enrolled in the CMI Level 7 qualification in management.

I am passionate about ensuring that decisions affecting Clinical Support services are made transparently and with accountability. I remain committed to representing staff voices and want to help deliver high-quality care through collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

I am Councillor Pam Brookes.

I was elected to represent Victoria Ward in 2023, and since then, I have been the Appointed Governor from Blackpool Council.

Living in Blackpool since the early 70s, this has been my family’s hospital through joyful times and sad ones.

As a family, we have experienced many of the services provided here, so I know how important local medical care is.

I am a passionate advocate for skills development that supports the workforce needs of our essential services. As Vice Principal for the Foundational Economy curriculum at Blackpool and The Fylde College (B&FC), I oversee inclusive learning that connects education with key local sectors, including leadership and management, health and care, education, science, construction, hospitality, public and uniformed services and the service industries.

Through collaboration in employer and community engagement, I support students and apprentices to gain the skills, knowledge and behaviours required for successful careers. Every town relies on NHS and care professionals, teachers, chefs, hairdressers, police officers, plumbers, construction workers and many others to sustain its economic and social wellbeing. My focus is to ensure the Foundational Economy has the skills pipeline it needs to continue driving our local economy.

B&FC is a key anchor institution for Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. Around 13,000 students and apprentices study with us at any one time, representing a wide range of backgrounds, prior attainment levels and career ambitions. More than 1,000 colleagues work with us to deliver our mission to provide our community - and the people and businesses within it - with opportunities to thrive. I am committed to supporting the development of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust to help ensure it delivers health care services for our community.

I also hold other governance roles, including as Chair of the Steering Group for LeftCoast: an organisation who have delivered socially-useful and engaging arts projects with Blackpool communities for more than a decade. In addition, I am a member of the Creative Blackpool Development Group, which aims to establish Blackpool as the UK's Coastal Capital of Culture.

Biography to follow.

I have lived in Blackpool for over 30 years and seen many changes.  I realise that the NHS has suffered badly from Government cuts and feel that the staff have not received enough praise from the public for their efforts during the recent pandemic.

This needs to change and staff should be supported and appreciated for the work they put in.  I am enthusiastic about change, but only if it is for the benefit of patients and staff, and I am committed to robustly supporting staff views.

I have spent most of my working life in accountancy and am a qualified Association of Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA).  Since retiring I have been keeping myself busy and understand finance in all its forms. As money needs to be used more efficiently, I would oppose any changes which mean that patients and staff suffer in any way. I am passionate about improving the health and care of our patients, across community and acute services, whilst holding our leaders responsible.

This is my first term as a Governor representing the Blackpool Area. I have worked in the NHS for 42 years. I recently retired from the North West Ambulance Service as the Sector Manager for West Lancashire.

I have a great understanding on how the NHS operates and will endeavour to use that knowledge in obtaining a greater understanding of how I can influence the trust in a positive direction.

I live in Blackpool and have done so for more than 40 years. I know how important our hospital is to our community and I will make sure that the Board stand up to scrutiny and capability and will discharge my duties to the best of my ability.

I am committed to this role and will use all skills and expertise to observe and comment on all relevant issues in this Hospitals Trust to enable them to move to the top of its game.

I will always put the patient’s interest first in all matters and will attempt to represent the views of my local community at all times.

I have lived in Blackpool for over 40 years and enjoyed a successful career in the hospitality and facilities management sectors. I now wish to share my lifetime of Board level experiences to support the Trust face the ongoing challenges it will inevitably face in the future. I will welcome the training I will be offered to fulfil this role and so become an effective participating Governor. I am an active member of a number of organisations locally including the Blackpool Civic Trust, Friends of Stanley Park, a volunteer conductor on the Heritage Trams and a Volunteer Mentor to young people through the Princes Trust. I wish to give more back to the local community by playing an active role in helping the Governors hold the Board of Directors to account for the hospital services they provide to our community. I will proactively support business change and service delivery enhancements, so the Directors are able to provide an ever-improving service to the Fylde community.

I am 60 years of age and have lived in Blackpool most of my life. I am passionate about the NHS, after having received lifesaving treatment for pancreatitis and cancer. The constitution of the NHS, based on need, accessibility to all and being properly accountable to the communities it serves, is paramount.

In my role as a local councillor, I have an innate ability to engage with my constituents when raising their concerns, sometimes supporting their feelings of anguish, despair and frustration, by being a good listener thus making observations to enable a good problem solving outcome. I sit on similar committees taking a constructive approach ensuring all parties have the same unbiased hearing to be fair to all. A recent achievement for my ward is two pelican crossings to be placed in positions long overdue to secure the safety of pedestrians. I have experience managing staff as a facilities manager both here and abroad, thus enhancing my enthusiasm to promote good corporate governance. I have academic practical experience and knowledge after achieving the NEBOSH qualifications to add to my engineering qualifications.

I have the energy and determination to engage with the public to want to get an insight of their opinions of the Trust. I have a full understanding, knowledge, experience and skills of what a high standard of service is expected within strict financial constraints. Therefore, I believe I have the experience, expertise and passion to contribute to Blackpool's NHS FT in moving forward as a Governor.

I was born in Durham City in 1946 and have lived in Blackpool for the last 62 years. After attending Durham School, I built an extensive career in marketing and public relations, working with companies in both the UK and the USA. During this time, I was also appointed as a researcher for Lord Wade in the House of Lords. I spent several years as a professional musician performing internationally. I am married and we have three grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

For 16 years, I served as a councillor for Anchorsholme Ward, including eight years as Leader of the Conservative Group on Blackpool Council. Throughout that time, I was committed to representing and supporting local communities, and I now wish to continue that commitment in my role as Governor.

I aim to use my experience in local government, leadership, and community engagement to support the Council of Governors, working as part of a focused team dedicated to the growth and improvement of one of the country’s most important and essential health services. Like many others, I owe my life to Victoria Hospital, its gifted surgeons and nursing staff, and I want to show my appreciation by contributing to its ongoing and future success.

I have lived in Blackpool North Shore for most of my life and was an employee of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals for 38 years. I have been married for 35 years and have a son and a daughter, who is following in my nursing footsteps.

I have held many roles, from healthcare assistant to clinical matron, across medicine, surgery and orthopaedics. My longest-serving role was as a ward manager. As a ward manager, I promoted transparency and held strong moral principles. I was completely patient-focused, always promoting patient safety and aiming to reduce patient harm. I also truly believe that, if staff are to remain resilient, they must feel appreciated: “happy staff, happy patients”. Since retiring in 2025, I have come to realise that my time at BTH will now be as a patient or as a relative of a loved one. This is why I am willing to give my time voluntarily to support our local hospital. With my past experience, I can recognise what quality care looks like and understand only too well the uphill struggle involved in consistently maintaining excellence. However, we should never stop striving for it. As your Governor, I will use my 38 years of clinical insight to ask constructively challenging questions, hold the Non-Executive team to account, and robustly represent the voices of local residents and NHS staff. I will use my lifetime of experience to help shape a positive and sustainable future for our Trust.

I have lived on the Fylde Coast all my life and now reside in Lytham with my husband and 3 young children who were all born at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. I am passionate about the care the NHS provides, my daughter who was born 6 months ago received life saving treatment in the neonatal unit and later Manchester Children's Hospital - the staff were absolutely amazing who supported me and my family.

For the last 13 years I have owned a local company which supports adults and older people in the community by providing care within their own homes. As part of this role I have extensive experience of working in multi-disciplinary NHS teams and within community NHS services to achieve the best outcome for patients. I have worked with a wide variety of local people requiring care, in particular those living with dementia, long term health conditions and their carers. I also owned and operated the onsite Blackpool Victoria Hospital NHS Children's Day Nursery up until 2022, so I have a vast understanding of the pressures that staff working within the NHS have and the need for flexibility to allow them a work life balance. As part of the above roles I have been the registered person for both CQC and OFSTED at outstanding rated settings.

I am proud to represent the residents in the Fylde constituency and I am relishing the opportunity to put forward local views to continuously improve and add value to our local NHS services. I believe it is very important to have people like myself as a Governor who are from non-NHS backgrounds and with varied experiences to best feed into the discussions at our Governors meetings, so the views of the local people are fully represented.

Hi. I’m John Moore. I’m a long time Fylde resident, now also a retired Audit Manager and able to focus my time on the things that are important to me. I believe that my experience should let me fill a governor’s role well. My job was to help ensure that organisations ran smoothly and effectively. To do this I needed effective communication with everyone – from new starters to directors. Along the way I gained a good knowledge of what governance is about. I spent some time working with long-term care and health-related services, though most was spent in finance and insurance.

Why do I want to be a governor? Three years ago, my sister died of oesophageal cancer; my two brothers are both in remission from prostate cancer; and throughout a difficult 2020, I relied time and again on Blackpool Victoria’s excellent Ophthalmic, Surgical and Medical Retina staff. Indeed, 2021 has started the same way. It’s clear to me that giving back to the local NHS Trust is a priority.

As an aside, I’m well prepared for voluntary working. I’ve volunteered continuously for the last 20 years, including a few years as the unpaid president of my professional association. I hope to continue my volunteering with the NHS.

As someone whose family has deep roots on the Fylde Coast spanning over two centuries, and as the son of Blackpool FC legend Roy Gratrix, my commitment to our local community runs through my DNA. The health, dignity, and care of the people across the Fylde aren't just statistics to me; they belong to my neighbours, my family, and the community that shaped me. Serving as a Public Governor for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals as well as Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, I bring proven, hands-on experience to this role. I understand how NHS governance operates from the inside out. My absolute priority as a governor is to ensure that your voice is heard and acted upon. I bring genuine lived experience, a strong focus on effective service design, and a dedication to patient safety. A governor’s duty is to represent the public transparently, set personal bias aside, and hold the Board accountable for delivering high-quality, compassionate healthcare. With my deep local roots, governance experience, and unwavering commitment to patient advocacy, I am deeply honoured to represent the Fylde constituency and champion the healthcare services our community deserves. 

I have lived in Poulton for over 50 years. I am windowed with two surviving sons.  My third son died aged 29 following surgery in an NHS hospital, and this prompted me to get involved with the NHS, where for several years I have tried to contribute to improving the quality and safety of patient care.  Before retiring I worked for ICI and then was one of the founding directors of Victrex PLC, a successful local company.  My responsibilities included ensuring the chemical manufacturing processes were carried out safely.  I wrote Vitrex’s safety policy and set up the organisation, arrangement, systems, and resources to implement our policy. I am particularly interested in making sure the culture of an organisation is open and focused on learning and improvement. As a Governor I will try and support staff to deliver the care to the high standard they aspire to.

I’m delighted to represent fellow Wyre residents in my first term as a Governor of the Trust. Wyre residents expect and deserve Blackpool Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust to provide them with excellent health care services.

I am under no illusions about the challenges the Trust and wider NHS currently face. I’ve been a Civil Servant for the last eight years, and a Senior Policy Advisor in the Department of Health and Social Care for the last three.

I have a strong track record in my professional life of identifying public policy issues and solving them, particularly in policy areas that come with complexity or large financial risks. I am driven to ensure that there is accountability and transparency in the public sector at all levels. Citizens deserve no less.

I’m a Preesall resident who grew up in Garstang. I’ve experienced the best and worst of our NHS in recent years, from the birth of my daughter to the diagnosis and treatment of my wife for breast cancer.

 All my life I have been working in the NHS in various capacities: as a nurse, a tutor and latterly as the Cancer Services Manager chasing the government's cancer waiting times.

After leaving full-time employment I have continued in health, being a lay member of the Blackpool Clinical Commissioning Group representing the parents’ issues, and a governor of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals and Lancashire Care Mental Health Trust.  I am also a trustee of a community house and Blackpool Boyes and Girls Club, helping local communities and local people.

This is my second time as a public governor as Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust. I live in Hornby, North of Lancashire and represent the North Counties.

I am a passionate advocate for the NHS, and Blackpool Teaching Hospital has been very much part of our extended family for many years. My wife and children were born in Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, I have had surgery at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, and my parent received wonderful care at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals towards the end of their lives.

My employment over the last forty years was as a Methodist minister in Cumbria. I also served as a hospital chaplain in Barrow in Furness, Penrith, and Carlisle, and for 10 years, I was a full-time hospice chaplain at the Garden of Eden Valley Hospice in Carlisle.