Meet the Healthwatch Leeds Board

Your Healthwatch Leeds Board of Directors is made up of volunteers with a wealth of experience in health and social care in Leeds.
The Board oversees the work of Healthwatch Leeds, meeting every other month to review the progress and discuss the important issues that you tell us about.

The board meetings are minuted and are available to read on request. If you would like to receive the board minutes, please email info@healthwatchleeds.co.uk.

Co-Chair: Jane Mischenko

Jane retired from a long career in the NHS, with experience in strategic commissioning and partnership roles. Jane spearheaded the creation of the Leeds Future in Mind and Maternity Strategies and served on various national task forces and audit groups. Her goal now is to promote collaboration between public sector organisations and their communities to address health inequalities, specifically by prioritising prevention and focusing on the needs of children and families in populations at greater risk.

Co-Chair: Jonathan Philips

In 2011 Jonathan retired as Calerdale's Director of Social Care, prior to this he worked for the Social Services Inspectorate leading inspections of social services departments across the north of England. He joined the Board of the Commission for Social Care Inspection where he led the introduction of star ratings for care homes. He has a personal interest in deafness as he has family members who are Deaf and use British Sign Language. He believes that professionals and services should make sure people are in control of their lives whatever social and health challenges they face.

Vice Chair: Angie Pullen

Angie is a former Director of Epilepsy Action, a member-led epilepsy charity. She worked to improve services for people with epilepsy and managed a helpline. She has research qualifications in Public Health and Organisation Development, she collaborates in research projects relating to: patient education programmes, services for people with learning disabilities and epilepsy and mental health issues in young people with epilepsy. She is also involved in community development and environmental projects.

Lalit Suryawanshi

Lalit is Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the Digital health company Itecho Health based in Leeds. He has over 23 years of technology experience. Lalit is a board member of Morley Town Deal, VP of technology for INSEADs alumni association, trustee of local charities, Governor of Asquith Primary School and Heckmondwike Grammar School, and Member of Morley Fair-trade committee. Lalit is keen to make a difference in the local area and wants to make sure technology plays a role in equal access to health and social care.

Oliver Corrado

Oliver retired from Leeds Teaching Hospitals in March 2017 having been a consultant Geriatrician there for 30 years and worked in the NHS for over forty. He has held leadership roles in medical education at local, regional and national level. He has a great interest in improving health and social care provision for older people particularly for those with dementia and was Leeds Teaching Hospitals ´Dementia Champion’ and a Clinical Advisor for the Yorkshire and Humber Dementia Clinical Network.

Phil Xiu

Phil is a GP and a healthcare educator in Leeds. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of ClinicalKey Student International. He is a GP Clinical Supervisor for the NHS England Performance Advisory Group and a Medical Examiner for Leeds Teaching Hospital Trusts. Phil is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at Leeds University, Primary Care Network Educational Lead and sits on a number of regional and national committees. Phil is committed to supporting the career development of healthcare professionals and improving the health of vulnerable populations using digital technology.

Denise Wall

Denise trained as a Cardiac Physiologist and has clinical and operational expertise across many specialities other than her clinical profession within the NHS and private sector both in the UK and the Middle East. She is passionate about the individual’s right to be heard and always wants to be the patient's advocate and give all patients a voice. Equality and high-quality care for all patients is her main aim for any patient.

Kay Ashmeade

Kay is an Educator and Inclusion Lead with over 15 years of experience in healthcare. Her own healthcare journey inspires her commitment to tackling health inequalities, advancing social justice, and supporting marginalised communities through education. Passionate about equity, diversity, and inclusion, Kay focuses on creating sustainable, research-informed solutions that amplify the voices of those with lived experience. She is also a firm believer in unbiased technology to improve access and outcomes for everyone.

John Beal

John is a retired dentist, former Consultant in Dental Public Health for Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority and Leeds Primary Care Trust. He holds the post of Honorary Senior Lecturer in Dental Public Health with the University of Leeds. He has a particular interest in improving the health of the most vulnerable people in the community, reducing inequalities in health and ensuring that health and social care services meet the needs of the local population

Francis Poitier

Francis first joined Healthwatch Leeds as a volunteer in 2018 and is a teaching and research fellow at the Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development of the University of Leeds. His work uses an intersectional lens to focus on the development and implementation of health policies and their impact on health inequities. He is passionate about improving health and care services for vulnerable and marginalised communities.

Hannah Davies

Hannah is the Chief Executive of Healthwatch Leeds. Her role is to ensure that Healthwatch Leeds makes a real difference to people in Leeds by giving them a voice in health and care services in Leeds. She has previously worked in the private, public and third sector and has a passion for services that understand, listen to and work in partnership with people. Prior to Healthwatch Leeds, She was Director at Forum central, the voice of the health and care third sector in Leeds.

Stuart Morrison

Stuart is the Team Leader and Company Secretary. His role as Company Secretary includes some responsibility for finances, budget and keeping abreast of company law. He has been with Healthwatch Leeds since 2013, previously working for Leeds LINk and national charity Shaw Trust.

Pam Bhupal

Pam currently works as a Programme support manager at West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, in the Workforce Planning and strategy team. Pam is born and bred in Leeds and wants to see equity in health and care for all communities of any age across Leeds. She has extensive experience in working with local authorities and health and care systems.

Dianne Parker

Dianne is a retired management consultant who worked with multinationals on improving organisational safety culture for over 15 years. Prior to that, she was Head of the Department of Psychology at the University of Manchester. In 2007-8 she was seconded to DoH as an Advisor to the Chief Medical Officer on medical error and patient safety. She has a particular interest in access to mental health services, especially for children and young people since the covid pandemic.

Matty Burchell

Matty started volunteering for Healthwatch Leeds and Youthwatch Leeds in 2023. He represents the voice of children and young people on our board and actively shares Youthwatch activities within board discussions. Matty is currently studying Politics at the University of Leeds and is volunteering to expand his experience in the working world. He aspires for other children and young people to have similar opportunities and an equal start to life.

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