Ross Nicklin - Chair Person
Ross retired from a long career spent working within the steel industry. This included working for British Steel, now Tata UK, as General Manager for the Walsall based steel processing and distribution centre. In 2001, as co - owner, he helped establish a successful steel stockholding and manufacturing business supplying products to a number of blue chip customers typically within the Automotive, Construction and Waste industries. Ross has also worked in a voluntary capacity for Age UK, undertaking a befriending role to older people within the Community.
Amongst his qualifications, Ross has a degree in Health and Social Care. He has lived in Walsall for over 50 years and is passionate about improving both services and outcomes for local citizens by utilising the extensive range of skills he brings from the private sector. Ross's interests include; travel, walking, sport and the arts.
Our Board
Dianne Beddows - Board Member
Dianne has always lived in the West Midlands/Staffordshire Area. She has a background in the Private Sector and Social Housing; is well versed in working to budgets and time constraints. During her working life she undertook a Business Leadership for Women course at Ashridge Management College. Later as an Assistant Finance Manager she studied and held qualifications in Counselling, Nebosh Health & Safety and Fire Safety, Internal Audit, Accountancy and Human Resources (Business Partner). Her working remit also included working on and chairing committees including, Health & Safety; Equality Diversity and Inclusion, Policy Impact Assessment and, “Going for Gold” (a committee designed to ensure the excellence standard needed to obtain the maximum funding available was met). She also sat on the Board of a Credit Union, ultimately holding the position of Vice Chair.
Since retirement, she has held the position of Vice Chair and subsequently Chair of her GP Practice Patient Participation Group (PPG) and is also a member of the Walsall Patient Participation Liaison Group. Her latest educational undertaking has been a UHCSE “Understanding Health and Social Care” course via Engage for Change.
Andrew Green - Board member
Andrew worked in the NHS for over 40 years. Operating at a senior level for most of that time, he gained significant knowledge and understanding of the wider environment in which NHS services were planned, delivered and governed.
In his role as a director of a local NHS provider of services to people with mental illnesses and learning disabilities he had executive responsibility for a range of corporate and business functions and was an integral member of the senior management team that oversaw the extensive development of a comprehensive range of high-quality services to be provided locally rather than as previously provided by larger and often distant institutions.
Separately Andrew undertakes duties for Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council as the Independent Chairperson of its Audit Committee and as an Independent Member of its Standards Committee; these committees provide assurance to the Council through the review, scrutiny, challenge and critical support of officers in their relevant work programmes.
He is also a Trustee to Citizens Advice Sandwell and Walsall, a well-known and respected charity providing advice and support to residents who are in need or just finding it difficult to resolve the problems they face.
As a Healthwatch Advisory Board member, Andrew plans to use his skills and knowledge for the benefit of residents who use or might need to use health and social care services.
Interested in Joining our Board?
Then Email: info@healthwatchwalsall.co.uk to register your interest.
Past Board papers
We make the papers for our public Board meetings available online. We also publish a summary of what was discussed. Check out our past meetings to read more.