Meet the board

I was born in London.  In 1983 I was appointed Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon to Sandwell Hospital having received my medical training in Oxford and London and orthopaedic training in South West London, Surrey and Adelaide.  I worked as a general Orthopaedic Surgeon with special interests in children's orthopaedics and the elderly.  I became the Clinical Lead for orthopaedic audit and was closely involved in training physiotherapists and senior nurses to extend their role and carried out joint clinics with local General Practitioners.

In 2011 I retired and in 2013 became a Non-executive Director of Healthwatch Sandwell.  My wife is a retired teacher and secretary of the Sandwell diabetes support group, this gives me an invaluable insight into the role of the voluntary sector.  We have 2 children and 5 grandchildren.

I was born in Langley near Oldbury and most people call me Bill.

During my National Service I was a Nursing Attendant. My working life consisted of Cuxson, Gerrard Ltd, Oldbury, Tube Products Ltd and the Rover Group.

Since a heart attack in 1999 and heart surgery in 2000, I have had a keen interest in the NHS.  I found that patients were not represented very well on local committee’s so I became a patient representative at the Primary Care Trust Meetings.

I then joined our Local Involvement Networks (LINks) and became involved with the Hospital Trust Board, the Local Authority Health Scrutiny and the Local Authority’s Ambassadors Groups.

I am now a member of Healthwatch Sandwell and also Chair the Sandwell Cardiac Group and Support Group.

I am a longstanding local resident who is very passionate about improving local services.  I have extensive experience in working with the local authority in consulting residents to improve neighbourhood and health care services particularly to the vulnerable and hard to reach community.  I have participated in Enter and View visits and Compare Drs.com and worked closely with the wider community.

I have recently become a board member at Healthwatch Sandwell, where I will continue to build relationships with the public and the various health organisations to provide efficient services to the local residents.

I was born in Whiteheath Rowley Regis.  My working life was in Patternmaking and Toolmaking, progressing to senior management in later years. I retired in December 1999.

In 2007 I became involved with Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, working one day a week and regularly attended their meetings. I have been a volunteer with Healthwatch Sandwell for the last three years, I have completed 'enter and views' and gathered experiences from members of the public.

In  September 2016 I became a board member with Healthwatch Sandwell.

I was born, lived and worked in the Black Country towns of Sedgley, Tipton, Smethwick and Rowley Regis.  I spent three years on the factory floor of a Steel Rolling Mill, thirty two years as Operations ‘Firemon’ in the Staffordshire County, Warley County and West Midlands Fire Service along with voluntary work within my local community from CAB to working with young offenders via the Probation Service.

I see Healthwatch being a forum for further full involvement of all our citizens in a challenging and developing Health Service.

I was born and raised in the Blackheath area of Sandwell.  After my late wifes untimely demise and open heart surgery I joined the Patient Participation Group at my GP surgery.  I am now a member of the Board at Healthwatch Sandwell.  I am interested in the health service provision locally and the reaction to change that effects my fellow citizens.

I am a parent carer of a severely disabled 18 year old son, and have worked in the voluntary sector with disabled children and carers for over 9 years. I belong to various committees and forums including the Ambassadors Forum, and Sandwell Parent Voice (the parent carer forum), and I am keen on people working together in partnership with commissioners and service providers in order to improve life for everyone.

Kwadwo brings to the Board his experiences in Business Management, Social Housing, Corporate Governance and Education. He represents Healthwatch Sandwell on the Sandwell Safeguarding Adult Board. Kwadwo is lecturer at Bournville College, Chairman of Nehemiah United Churches Association and member of the Association of Corporate Governance Practitioners. He loves community programmes and actively supports such initiatives

My name is Wasim Ali, I am from Oldbury, Sandwell.  Having held various positions representing young people's voices locally and nationally I wanted to join Healthwatch Sandwell to give the young a platform to be heard on health services.  I feel it is important to ensure young people are at the centre of our dicisions and their input is taken into account when conducting work especially effecting them.

By day I am a student at university studying Law and I also work within the NHS.

I am truly honoured to be a board member of Healthwatch Sandwell and will endeavour to ensure the voice of the community of all ages is shaped within our Health Service.