This in from the IW NHS Trust, in their own words. Ed
The Appointments Commission have appointed two new Non-Executive Directors to the Board of Isle of Wight NHS Trust, which has an overall budget of circa £160m per annum and employs circa 3,000 staff (2,700 head count).
Isle of Wight NHS Trust Chairman, Danny Fisher, said: “I am delighted to welcome John Matthews (pictured) and Nick Wakefield to the Isle of Wight NHS Trust Board. The breadth of their knowledge and experience will bring additional skills to the Board as we progress towards NHS Foundation Trust status.”
John Matthews
John Matthews (69) from Carisbrooke was raised and educated on the Island in Sandown.
After studying Law at Southampton University, John rose to be a partner in the law firm John Robinson and Jarvis (later RJR). In 1974, he joined the then Medina Borough Council as Solicitor where he stayed until 1986 before joining Roach Pittis and then two years later he joined Matthews, Henshaw and Verrinder, where he became partner and stayed until 2002. As well as this, he was chairman / administrator of the IW duty solicitors scheme. For 18 years from 1994 John was HM Coroner for the Island presiding over some 1,200 inquests.
John is one of the Island’s deputy Lord Lieutenants and also sits as a part-time Judge both in the County Court and the Social Security Tribunal. He was a legal journalist, writing for, among others, the Solicitors Journal, The Law Society and the Local Government Journal.
In his spare time John is the organist of St John’s Church, Newport and has a passion for classical music, which includes singing. He is a self-described ‘compulsive’ reader. John was a voluntary mental health visitor during his younger years and has been a constant visitor for over 40 years to the Island Prisons as a Solicitor and on Sundays as a relief Organist. John is a former member of the Island’s Family Practitioner Committee, Family Health Services Authority and Area Health Authority. John is married with 2 children and 5 grandchildren.
Mr Matthews said: “I am surprised but greatly honoured to be appointed to my new role. I am no stranger to the Trust in its previous forms and I am enthusiastic in trying to help the Island and the Trust in the future.
Nick Wakefield
Nick Wakefield (65] was educated at Orley Farm School, Westminster School, the University of Oxford and Manchester Business School.
After an early career as a consulting civil engineer with Binnie & Partners in London, he specialised in project finance, first at S G Warburg and later at HBOS.
During his thirty year banking career, Nick arranged funding for major projects in the power, oil and gas, mining, pulp and paper manufacturing, leisure, transportation, health, property, water and education sectors, including the rebuilding of twenty-nine secondary schools in Glasgow in 2001.
Between 2002 and 2005 Nick established a new company, Infracare, which developed and financed the construction of eight new primary health care facilities in Bristol, Oxford and Dudley. Nick lives with his wife, Sue, in Seaview. They have two married children and four grandchildren who all live in London and are regular visitors to the Isle of Wight.
Mr Wakefield said: “I am pleased to join the Board at an important juncture in the evolution of the Foundation Trust and hope that my extensive experience of working with both the public and private sectors will enable me to make a significant contribution to the continuing success and improvement of healthcare provision on the Isle of Wight.”
All non-executive appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Both Nick Wakefield and John Matthews have declared no political activity.
Both appointments are from 01/10/2012 to 30/09/2016 and have been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice. The positions attract a remuneration of £6,096 per annum.
Isle of Wight NHS Trust launched its consultation on proposals to become an NHS Foundation Trust on 15th October and the consultation runs until 11th January 2013. Improving the experience of patients is a key element of the journey the Trust is undertaking.
NHS Foundation Trusts have members who can become more involved in the strategic direction of healthcare on the Island and take part in elections for a Council of Governors.
