Our Trustees and Directors

Professor Chris Drinkwater CBE, FRCGP, FFPH(Hon), FRSA was an inner city GP in Newcastle for 23 years and he is now emeritus Professor of Primary Care Development at Northumbria University. He was one of the founders of Ways to Wellness, and was Chair until 2022. He led the establishment of HealthWORKS Newcastle as a City Challenge project in the early 1990s. He was Vice-Chair of Blue Stone Collaborative and VCSE representative for the Child Health & Wellbeing Executive where he Chairs the Operational Oversight Committee. He is also a Director of the West End Schools Trust (8 inner city primary schools in Newcastle upon Tyne).

Along the way he has been variously, President and Public Health lead for the NHS Alliance, Deputy Chair and Chair of the Philanthropy Committee for Northumberland, Tyne & Wear Community Foundation, and the Sir Roy Griffiths/Age Concern/RCGP Prince of Wales, Educational Fellow for Older People.

Dr Guy Pilkington has been an inner city GP for 33 years and was previously Clinical Chair of NHS Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group. He is the Chair of the Prevention Board for the North East and North Cumbria ICS which allows him to champion the need for the NHS to dedicate more planning, energy and resource on measures that reduce the burden of disease and create health. His clinical interests include mental health, the ‘social model’ and social prescribing. He believes strongly in the value of co-production, community assets and involvement.

Brendan was CEO for 17 years at a large third sector mental health provider group Mental Health Concern and Insight IAPT.

He has worked in health and care services since 1984 in both statutory and non-statutory sectors and has a clinical background in mental health nursing.

He provided third sector representation and expertise on local, regional and national forums focused on cross-sector development of health and social care.

As one of the founding Directors and former Executive Chair of Blue Stone Collaborative, he was focused on helping voluntary and community sector providers come together with statutory organisations to deliver better for our communities.

He is currently a Non-Executive Director of CNTW NHS Foundation Trust https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/ and a partner of the Human Learning Systems Collaborative. https://www.humanlearning.systems/.

David graduated in political science from Edinburgh University. His academic career spans over 40 years researching health systems with a focus on how policy is formed and implemented.

Between 1999 and July 2017, David was Director of the Centre for Public Policy and Health, School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Health, Durham University. The Centre was designated a WHO Collaborating Centre in Complex Health Systems Research, Knowledge and Action in 2014. David moved to the Institute of Health & Society, Newcastle University in August 2017. Since August 2018 he is an Emeritus Professor at Newcastle University in the Population Health Sciences Institute. He is an Emeritus Professor in the Global Policy Institute, School of Government and International Relations, Durham University (since 2023); a Visiting Professor, University of Chester (since 2018); and a King’s Fund Population Health Associate (since 2022). He is a special advisor to WHO Europe on health system transformation and, since July 2020, a member of WHO’s Global Network on Long-Term Care.

Former positions include: non-executive director, National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2008-16); Appointed Governor, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (2009-2017); and special advisor to the UK Parliamentary Health Committee on two inquiries into public health. He is an Honorary Member of the UK Faculty of Public Health, and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh).

An Occupational Psychologist, concerned with the performance of people at work, Mary has worked with many different organisations groups and individuals to increase effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction at work. She is the former Managing Partner and founder of People-Centric, an occupational psychology consultancy based in Durham, a past academic, a master coach and a personal development consultant. She has been a trustee of The Learning Challenge charity and currently chairs an Employee Ownership Trust.

Brigid has been a GP in Throckley for 26 years. She was mental health lead for Newcastle Gateshead CCG for two years, from 2012 until 2014. Brigid was involved in early pilots of social prescribing in Newcastle and has worked closely with local voluntary sector organisations for many years. She has been the clinical director for Newcastle Outer West PCN since April 2019.

An independent Business Consultant John has over 35 years’ experience spanning Corporate Finance, Consulting and Business Advisory services. A former Director at Deloitte he specialises in strategic financial planning, operational delivery and project managing long-term complex projects.

He has insights across a broad range of industrial sectors and has worked on numerous public sector projects operating across health, regional and local government including whole health economy reorganisation, designing health authorisation guidance frameworks and evaluation and service reviews.

John is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales and holds a Diploma in Corporate Finance. He is a Non-Executive Director at an innovative high growth north east based SME.

Dr Guy Pilkington has been an inner city GP for 33 years and was previously Clinical Chair of NHS Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group. He is the Chair of the Prevention Board for the North East and North Cumbria ICS which allows him to champion the need for the NHS to dedicate more planning, energy and resource on measures that reduce the burden of disease and create health. His clinical interests include mental health, the ‘social model’ and social prescribing. He believes strongly in the value of co-production, community assets and involvement.

Brigid has been a GP in Throckley for 26 years. She was mental health lead for Newcastle Gateshead CCG for two years, from 2012 until 2014. Brigid was involved in early pilots of social prescribing in Newcastle and has worked closely with local voluntary sector organisations for many years. She has been the clinical director for Newcastle Outer West PCN since April 2019.

An independent Business Consultant John has over 35 years’ experience spanning Corporate Finance, Consulting and Business Advisory services. A former Director at Deloitte he specialises in strategic financial planning, operational delivery and project managing long-term complex projects.

He has insights across a broad range of industrial sectors and has worked on numerous public sector projects operating across health, regional and local government including whole health economy reorganisation, designing health authorisation guidance frameworks and evaluation and service reviews.

John is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales and holds a Diploma in Corporate Finance. He is a Non-Executive Director at an innovative high growth north east based SME.