Pennine Acute Trust welcomes Shauna Dixon MBE as new Non-Executive Director

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has welcomed the appointment of Shauna Dixon, MBE from Heywood to sit on the Trust Board as a Non-Executive Director.

The NHS Trust Development Authority (NHS TDA) has agreed the appointment of Mrs Dixon.

Mrs Dixon started her position with the Trust on 1 March 2013 for a period until 28 February 2017.

She has worked within the health service for 46 years. Starting as a cadet nurse in 1966, she later qualified as a registered nurse, midwife and health visitor. In 2003 she moved to NHS Oldham Primary Care Trust (PCT) and held several roles there, including chief executive, deputy chief executive and nurse advisor to the Board.

Mr John Jesky, Chairman of The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, commenting on Mrs Dixon’s appointment said: “On behalf of the Board I am delighted to welcome Shauna to the Trust as a Non-Executive Director.

“Non-Executive Directors play such an important role within NHS hospital trusts in advising and holding to account the work of the Trust and its management in providing safe and high quality healthcare services for patients and the communities we serve.

“Shauna has an excellent background in healthcare and in the public sector. She has dedicated her career to improving services and health throughout the region. She was instrumental in many of the improvements to local healthcare services in Oldham, including increasing the number of doctors and dentists, and the moving of services into new purpose-built health centres which helped to increase access to health services for patients.

“The wealth of experience she brings in frontline nursing and senior executive posts will be invaluable to this Trust. She will join me and the other five Non-Executive Directors in advising and helping the Trust Board to work in the public interest, to plan for future improvements within and across our hospitals and to ensure that the Trust finances are managed properly, particularly during the next few years which like other NHS Trusts will bring even more financial challenges to the Trust.”

The appointment of Mrs Dixon has been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice.

All non-executive appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Mrs Dixon has not declared any political activity but does hold a ministerial appointment with the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee (VA&PC).

All non-executive directors of NHS Trusts receive a nationally set remuneration of £6,096 per annum.

Commenting on her appointment, Mrs Dixon said: “I am delighted to be working with the Trust. I live in the area and so I understand how important high quality services are for the local communities served by the Trust. I have seen a huge amount of investment by the Trust over the last few years especially in Oldham. It is a very exciting and challenging stage for the Trust and I look forward to working with staff and the Trust Board.”

Mrs Dixon replaces outgoing Non-Executive Director, Councillor Tim Pickstone who finished his term in office in December last year.