The Patients Association is delighted to announce the appointment of three new trustees, Julia Ross, Teena Chowdhury and Mark Blaney, to its Board. Together they bring a wealth of experience in health and social care, strengthening the charity’s mission to amplify the patient voice and ensure healthcare services are designed and delivered in equal partnership with patients.

Julia Ross has had a broad career spanning over 30 years in NHS management, working at national, regional, and local levels. Before her retirement in April 2022, she was a commissioning Chief Executive and System Leader in both Surrey Heartlands and Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire. Throughout her career, Julia has specialised in strategy design and delivery, organisational and leadership development, and citizen engagement. She is an accredited Arbinger Institute Outward Mindset facilitator and is committed to improving collaboration among individuals, teams, and organisations to enhance patient outcomes and experiences.

“I’m delighted to have been appointed and very much looking forward to working with the Patients Association to continue ensuring the patient voice is at the heart of NHS developments and decision-making,” said Julia Ross.

Teena Chowdhury brings extensive experience across healthcare regulation, policy, and operational management. She has worked with charities, the NHS, and regulatory bodies, including the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, where she led governance and performance reviews of professional organisations. Currently, she is the Deputy Director for the Care Quality Improvement Directorate at the Royal College of Physicians, where she oversees programmes focused on improving healthcare delivery and addressing key issues such as health inequalities, outpatient care, and AI. Teena is also a non-executive director for AQA, where she contributes to audit, risk, and compliance oversight.

"The Patients Association’s dedication to listening to patients and driving positive change to create a fairer, more responsive healthcare system is truly inspiring. I’m excited to join its Board of Trustees and help further its mission of putting patients first," said Teena Chowdhury.

Mark Blaney joins the Patients Association as the Board’s Treasurer and bring a wide range of experience from his background in finance and public service. He worked for the NHS in various roles for 17 years, during which time he trained as a CIPFA accountant. He then served as a Finance Manager in the Probation Service for over six years. After 23 years in public services, Mark transitioned to the charitable sector in 2013 when he joined the Royal College of Anaesthetists as Financial Controller. He has been Finance Director at the College for the last ten years. Additionally, he has served as a non-executive director of the London Universities Purchasing Consortium and is currently its Chair.

“It is an honour to be appointed as a trustee of the Patients Association, which provides valuable services to patients and advocates powerfully on their behalf to NHS decision-makers,” said Mark.

The Patients Association is an independent patient charity committed to advocating for improvements in health and social care. Uniquely positioned to represent all health and care issues, the charity works directly with patients through its membership, support networks, and information services. It also engages with policymakers, NHS leaders, and stakeholders to ensure patient priorities are central to healthcare reforms.

Julie Thallon, Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Patients Association, welcomed the new appointments: “We are thrilled to have Julia, Teena and Mark join our Board of Trustees. Their expertise, leadership, and dedication to patient-centred care will be invaluable as we continue our work to ensure that every patient can access and benefit from the health and care services they need.”