Croydon Health Services NHS Trust

Andrea Fernandes

Managing Director Acute Services

Prior to taking up her current role, Andrea built a strong track record in operational leadership, service transformation and performance improvement. She is recognised for her collaborative approach and her focus on delivering sustainable improvements in quality, access and patient flow across complex healthcare environments. As Managing Director for Acute Services, Andrea is responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership across the Trust’s acute planned and unplanned care services. She works closely with clinical and operational colleagues, executive leaders and system partners to ensure services are safe, effective and responsive to the needs of local residents. Andrea is passionate about improving outcomes for patients and supporting staff to deliver high-quality care. With a strong focus on partnership working, she is committed to strengthening performance, building resilient services and ensuring patients receive timely, compassionate and effective care.

Deborah Kelly

Chief Nurse Officer (CNO)

With over 35 years NHS experience, Deborah has held a number of senior nursing and managerial roles at major London teaching hospitals. Since qualifying as a nurse in 1985, Deborah has gained experience in a range of leadership roles in community, acute and tertiary services, including as Deputy Chief Nurse for Barts Health NHS Trust and working in the Middle East as the Deputy Chief Nurse and Chief Nurse for Informatics at Sidra Medicine, Doha Qatar.

Dr Subhro Banerjee

Chief Medical Officer and Caldicott Guardian

Dr Banerjee has been a Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Croydon University Hospital since 2013. Prior to this, he completed two out of his five Specialist Registrar years at Croydon, whilst completing his emergency medicine specialist training in South West London. He continues to work in the Emergency Department one day a week, in addition to his duties as Chief Medical Officer.

Hilary Williams

Managing Director for Community Services and Integration

Hilary joined as the Managing Director for Community Services and Integration in July 2024. She is the Croydon Place lead for commissioning and the transformation of Primary and Community Care, Medicines Optimisation, Mental Health, Learning Disability and Children and Young People. Hilary also oversees the delivery team for the One Croydon Alliance and the transformation programmes underway to join up care and build on assets across health, care and the voluntary sectors within the community to address health inequalities. Prior to this role, Hilary was the Croydon and Behavioural & Developmental Psychiatry Service Director at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and has over five years' experience working within the Croydon health system. An occupational therapist by background, she has 30 years of health care experience in direct clinical and leadership roles within the NHS.

Mike Sexton

Chief Finance Officer (CFO)

Mike's leadership was instrumental in the 7-year financial recovery of the CCG, with all special measures withdrawn in 2019. Mike will continue his commitment to Croydon in working across both organisations, helping to ensure best value as we continue closer working to improve the health and care of one London's largest boroughs.

Simon Haben

Chief People Officer/ Deputy Chief Executive

His career began in the London Borough of Croydon, working in the Council's Chief Executive Offices during the 1990's in a variety of roles focused on productivity improvement, organisational change, research and policy creation. In addition to his executive career, Simon has been a Governor of the City of Westminster College, during which time the Ofsted rating was raised to ‘good'. He is also a non-executive director of Magnox Ltd, which is responsible for the safe decommissioning of nuclear sites.

Steve Garside

Director of Corporate Governance and Company Secretary

Steve started his career in accountancy and audit, before joining the NHS in 2005 and working in a variety of senior governance roles. His more recent roles were as Director of Corporate Governance at South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board. If you would like to contact the CHS Board members, please send an email to CH-TR.CorporateGovernance@nhs.net . For all matters relating to patient experience, please contact the CHS Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) at ch-tr.PALS@nhs.net .

Anil Patil

Non-Executive Director

Anil is a former barrister specialising in public and private Children Act, Family and Matrimonial Finance law, with an expertise advocating on behalf of unaccompanied minors fleeing persecution. His entrepreneurial career includes being the founder and CEO of Starbucks Coffee's first global franchise. In a voluntary capacity, Anil has been a carer for children with life limiting conditions at Naomi House Hospice; supported adults towards the end of their lives at Oakhaven Hospice; a mentor to children in care; an independent member of a fostering panel; and governor at a 2-13yrs school. As a Non-Executive Director, Anil sits on the boards of Sussex Partnership Foundation NHS Trust; a local authority owned SEND school; a local authority owned social care company; as well as a health care community interest company serving a population of over 1 million users. His focus is the equitable access to health care services and narrowing health inequalities especially amongst the most disadvantaged in our community.

Dr Gemma Hurley

Non-Executive Director

Having focussed much of her career on advanced clinical practice and service development, Gemma's recent work with the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) on the Health Sciences Benchmark Statement review and her Senior Fellowship at the Higher Education Academy not only reflect her commitment to upholding strategic governance but will also continue to bolster the Trust's own quality improvement journey. Recognised by the Queen's Nursing Institute for her long-standing service, Gemma has also led and supported a range of healthcare education programmes, helping to prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals to meet the needs of diverse communities.

Professor Andrew Rhodes

Non-Executive Director/ Senior Independent Director

Over the years, Andrew has held a number of leadership positions in the health service including being Chief Medical Officer for St George's, a Regional Clinical Director at NHS England and Improvement (London) for Critical Care and Diagnostics, Medical Director at South West London Acute Provider Collaborative and a Clinical Chair for the Humber Acute Services Review. Andrew takes on the role of being the Trusts university representative to oversee the highest standards of clinical education and training for the next generation of healthcare workers at Croydon University Hospital. He will also be responsible for challenging the Trust's leadership team in decision making to ensure they are focused on delivering excellent health and care for local people.

Rona Nicholson

Non-Executive Director/ Vice Chair

Rona brings extensive skills and experience from a long career in the social housing sector undertaking a range of executive leadership roles. She has specific expertise relating to older people gained from her time as Deputy CEO at Hanover Housing Association and as Executive Director of Governance and Compliance at Anchor Hanover Housing Association. Prior to that, at the Housing Corporation Rona was responsible for the successful delivery of the social housing investment programme in London as well as the regulation of some of the largest housing associations in the sector. Rona also has very significant non-executive experience gained in different organisational settings in the housing, charity and health sectors. She has played a governance support role on a number of Boards and has acted as a statutory appointee to a Board on behalf of the regulator to assist in organisational recovery. Rona has previous experience of the health sector having been a Non-Executive Director in Lewisham and the South East London PCTs where she sat on the Finance, Audit and Integrated Governance committees. For six years Rona chaired the Equality & Diversity Board Advisory Group of the Homes & Communities Agency, holding the main Board to account in meeting its public sector equality duties. Rona is also a previous chair of both the Horizon Housing Group and the Bexley Thameside Partnership Board and a former Trustee of Seeability and Homeless International.

Saurabh Das

Non-Executive Director

He is also a Trustee at Primary Science Teaching Trust (a registered charity) and Chairs their Finance and Compliance Committee. Previously, Saurabh held senior finance and commercial roles in the public and private and sectors, including at the Cabinet Office and Department of Health. He has worked closely with Ministers, Chief Executives and Finance Directors across Whitehall departments and agencies. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, having gained his qualification at PricewaterhouseCoopers UK. He holds an MA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) from the University of Oxford and a BA (Hons) in Mathematics from the University of Delhi.

Sola Afuape MBE

Non-Executive Director

Sola joined Croydon University Hospital in Autumn 2023 as a Non-Executive Director. She brings 15 years Board leadership experience from a number of NED, lay advisory and Trustee roles in health and social care and across the wider public sector. She is currently a Non-Executive Director at SWL & St George's Mental Health Trust, where she chairs the People Committee. She chairs the Anti-Racist Strategy and Implementation group for the SW London ICS and brings additional insights from her roles as a National Professional Advisor for the Care Quality Commission and independent chair responsible for safeguarding and health inequalities within two Local Authorities. Sola has significant operational and management consultancy experience across national and local government alongside advisory work with organisational teams on systems working, workforce and OD, transformation and culture, leadership development and stakeholder engagement. She was the London regional service improvement lead and national equality advisor to the NHS for the Department of Health.

Stephen Dilworth

Non-Executive Director

Stephen holds a first degree in Economics and History, as well as another in Financial Services and is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Banking and the Chartered Institute of Marketing. In a voluntary capacity, he chairs the Bromley Neighbourhood Police Panel. In 2012 he was elected as a Community Champion for the London Borough of Bromley and has been selected as one of Manchester University's Volunteers of the Year.