NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board

Adele Edmonson

Associate Director of Corporate Governance, NHS STW & SSOT

Claire Skidmore

Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Finance Officer

Claire has worked in the NHS for over 25 years and is an experienced NHS Chief Finance Officer, holding executive positions in commissioning organisations for more than 10 years. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and holds an MBA from Warwick University. Claire’s experience extends well beyond finance as she feels privileged to have been responsible for a wide range of functions in her time as an executive. In 2021 Claire also spent some time as Accountable Officer for Shropshire Telford and Wrekin CCG. What inspired you to work in health and social care? I joined the NHS straight after college and enjoy being able to use the skills and knowledge that I have gained over my career to support and drive service improvement. I am a keen advocate of the NHS and am proud to be part of a diverse and multidisciplinary team. I value the opportunity that my role brings to work with great people across health and social care. What are your passions outside of work? I enjoy a variety of pastimes outside of work from tap dancing and pilates to eating out and socialising with friends. I love to travel, both within the UK and abroad.

Dr Rachel Gallyot

Interim Chief Medical Officer, NHS STW & SSOT

Dr. Lorna Clarson

Chief Officer: Strategy & Improving Outcomes

Previously, Dr Clarson was Clinical Chair of Stoke-on-Trent Clinical Commissioning Group and Clinical Director for Partnerships & Engagement. Dr Clarson is passionate about improving health outcomes, strengthening clinical leadership and tackling health inequalities to deliver better care for local communities, and brings extensive experience in clinical practice, research and system leadership.

Heather Johnstone

Interim Chief Nursing Officer, NHS SSOT

Paul Winter

Associate Director of Corporate Governance, NHS STW & SSOT

Phil Smith

Chief Officer: System Development & Integration

Phil has a proven track record of delivery in a variety of oversight, performance and planning roles across the health and social care sector over the last 18 years. He joined the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Shadow Integrated Care Board as Delivery Director in February 2022 to coordinate oversight of operational delivery across the county. This appointment was on secondment from his role as Assistant Director of Strategic Transformation for NHS England and NHS Improvement. Staffordshire born and raised, Phil has held a variety of roles in acute, community, social care, commissioning and regulatory organisations – centred largely around the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent geography. He is experienced in engaging with local, regional and national leaders across traditional organisational and professional boundaries to facilitate practical solutions to delivery challenges. With a focus on learning and continuous improvement, Phil is adept at bringing partners together to co-produce plans and oversee delivery. Phil is passionate about the opportunities his new role presents to improve health and wellbeing outcomes and reduce health inequalities for the people of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

Vanessa Whatley

Chief Nursing Officer

Executive Lead for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (aged 0-25), learning disability and autism (all-age) and Down Syndrome (all-age). Vanessa’s extensive career in nursing and quality improvement spans various senior roles across both acute and community services. Before becoming the Chief Nursing Officer at Shropshire Telford and Wrekin ICB, she held key positions such as Deputy Chief Nurse, Head of Nursing, and Lead Nurse for Infection Prevention at trusts in Birmingham and Wolverhampton. She also worked as a Programme Lead for Infection Prevention and Control at the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority. Her qualifications include a Professional Nurse Advocate certification, a postgraduate certificate in research, and a master’s degree in healthcare leadership. Vanessa’s professional interests encompass quality improvement, strategic leadership in public health to address health inequalities, the health and wellbeing of healthcare staff, nurse and AHP-led research opportunities, leadership in women’s health, prevention of harm, palliative and end-of-life care, and out-of-hospital services. She is particularly passionate about empowering nurses and AHPs to work at the top of their license and championing quality improvement. Outside of work, Vanessa enjoys skiing, walking, exploring France, and spending time with her two teenagers and two spaniels.

Andrew Morgan

Chair in Common, Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust and

Cheryl Etches OBE

Non - Executive Director, NHS STW

Roger Dunshea

Non-Executive Director and Audit Chair

Roger was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care System in March 2022. Roger is a chartered public finance accountant and former member of the Senior Civil Service. He was director of finance and operations at Ofwat, the economic regulator of the water sector in England and Wales for over fifteen years. Previously he held clinical, operational management and executive director roles in the NHS. In the last ten years Roger has developed his non-executive expertise in audit and risk assurance. This has included working with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Medical Research Council, the Geological Society, the Welsh Government, the Judicial Appointments Commission, the Defence Electronics and Components Agency and the NHS. In recent years he has taken on leadership and governance non executive responsibilities relating to health research, innovation, digital and artificial intelligence. What inspired you to work in health and social care? In 1980 I joined the NHS in Glasgow as a student nurse because I wanted to help and care for people suffering ill health. Since then my career has evolved gaining experience in health services management, regulation and broader public service. This has given me the privilege of working alongside service users, partners and colleagues in local and central government, voluntary organisation and the NHS. My goal is always to improve and develop services that should be tailored to the needs of individuals, notably those who are vulnerable or are disadvantaged by inequality. What are your passions outside of work? I enjoy the outdoors, notably rambles around Shropshire with our three dogs and further afield in the mountains of the UK and some overseas. My first degree was in geology, so anything rocky is always fun with my new interest developing in planetary geosciences. For a number of years I have volunteered with Natural England at the SSSI bog at Fenns and Whixall moss, our goal is to recreate the bog to act as a massive carbon sink and protect rare plant and animal species. In 2021 we were very privileged to become Natural England's Volunteer Team of the Year.

Terry Gee

Chair in Common, Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust and

Trevor McMillan OBE

Non-Executive Directors