Dame Jackie Daniel among new trustees to join the NHS Confederation board

The NHS Confederation is pleased to announce the appointment of four new trustees to its board, including Dame Jackie Daniel, chief executive of Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, taking up the role of vice-chair.

The NHS Confederation is the membership organisation that brings together, supports and speaks for the whole healthcare system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. As a member-led organisation, the board of trustees plays a pivotal role in setting the Confederation’s strategic direction, monitoring the delivery of the organisation’s objectives and upholding its values and governance.

Dame Jackie Daniel will take up the role of vice chair in July. Alongside Dame Jackie, the other key trustee appointments are: Ifti Majid, chief executive of Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Dr Peta Foxall, chair of The Wildlife Trusts and Lead Governor of Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; and chartered accountant David Skinner. The four new trustees will attend their first board meeting next month.

NHS Confederation chair Lord Victor Adebowale said: “Our new board members are talented and committed individuals who will add great value to our mission to speak with and represent members and work with them on the improvement of our NHS and care systems for all. I’m really looking forward to working with them all and particularly my new vice chair Jackie Daniel whose track record speaks for itself.”

Stepping down from the board of trustees are Prem Singh, chair of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care System. Prem was a trustee for over six years and the Confederation’s senior independent trustee and chair of the organisation’s Finance and Operations Committee. Dame Gill Morgan, chair of One Gloucestershire ICS, and Paul Jenkins, chief executive of Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, stepped down in February and early March, respectively.

Lord Adebowale said: “I would also like to thank Prem, Dame Gill and Paul for their years of dedicated service. All of us at the NHS Confederation look forward to working closely when them in the future."

Background on trustee appointments

Dame Jackie Daniel began her NHS career as a nurse before moving into management, and has been a chief executive for 20 years leading a range of acute, mental health and specialist trusts, and is a member of the NHS Assembly. She was appointed as chief executive of Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in March 2018. Under her leadership, the trust has retained its outstanding CQC status, and was the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. 

Ifti Majid qualified as a registered mental health nurse in 1988 and has held a range of clinical posts in adult mental health services, both in acute inpatient and community settings and continues hold an active mental health nursing registration. Ifti became chief executive of Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in 2017 and is also chair of the NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network. A great supporter of the benefit of integrated systems on improving outcomes for local populations, Ifti has led the development of Derbyshire’s Anchor Charter and is the Lead CEO for Derbyshire Provider Collaborative at scale. Ifti is passionate about inclusion and driven to make a personal impact on diversity in a healthcare setting, and is co-chair of the NHS Confederation’s BME Leadership Network.

Dr Peta Foxall is committed to public service and has extensive experience of leading and working in multi-disciplinary teams within the NHS, higher education and charitable bodies. She brings a wealth of governance experience at Board level and has helped to guide organisations, partnerships and federations through complex change. Peta is a biomedical scientist by profession and has now established a successful career in voluntary senior leadership roles. She is currently the chair of The Wildlife Trusts and Lead Governor of the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, as well as member of the #iwill Movement’s Partnership Board and advocate for youth social action across all sectors.

David Skinner is a Chartered Accountant with over 15 years’ experience as a board director, both as a chief financial officer and as a non-executive.